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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25695751">Interlude of the Prophecy</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimbert/pseuds/kimbert'>kimbert</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Symphony of Prophecies [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shall We Date?: Obey Me!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Ass-Kicking, Developing Relationship, Family, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Humor, Kissing, Multi, Pining, Politics, Sex, Smut, Sneaking, Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:42:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>70,362</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25695751</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimbert/pseuds/kimbert</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A continuation of my AU where a mis-read prophecy lead to all kinds of shenanigans, and how to run a realm.</p><p>You will need to have read my previous work, Prelude to a Prophecy, prior to reading this, or you'll be lost. (click the series link and it will take you there)</p><p>Updates frequently, at least once a week</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Asmodeus (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s), Barbatos &amp; Diavolo (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!), Beelzebub (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s), Belphegor (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s), Leviathan (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s), Lucifer (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s), Main Character (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Everyone, Mammon (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s), Satan (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s), Simeon/Solomon (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Symphony of Prophecies [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1863181</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>112</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>171</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Symphony of Prophecies</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Rest Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This chapter contains immediate aftermath of the events of Chapter 28 of Prelude to a Prophecy. AKA: Jen finally takes a nap.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Immediately Following Gabriel’s Defeat</em>
</p>
<p>Jen wiggled her way out of the pile of demons who couldn’t figure out if they wanted to hold her or yell at her. Eventually they’ll figure out she’s not in the middle of that pile, but for now, she needs to check in with the King. </p>
<p>She hopped the fence and walked into the field, and approached Diavolo, Reggath, and Barbatos. She smiled to see that Reggath’s spawn had knocked over Diavolo in their enthusiasm to say hello, and that the new king was wrestling with them just as enthusiastically. Reggath was calling out encouragement to his kids, and Barbatos was watching all of it with a fond smile. He turned when he felt her approaching. </p>
<p>“How are you?” he asked, a concerned look on his face. </p>
<p>She shrugged, then noticed Ajax trying to sneak a taste of the closest spawn. “Ajax!” She snapped, getting his attention. He laid his ears back and whined at her. “Don’t give me that look! Go back now!” She snapped her fingers at him. He made giant puppy eyes at her even as he howled and disappeared. She turned back to Barbatos. </p>
<p>“Honestly, Barb, I’ve had better weeks.” She sighed, rubbing her hands over her face. He nodded sympathetically. Together they watched the two kings wrestle with the spawn. “Fuck, the next few weeks are gonna be a bitch.”</p>
<p>One of the spawn broke away and tumbled over to Jen and whistled happily at her. She grinned and made a fuss over his new toes. He got tired of being cooed over, so he whistled for his twin, and they grabbed their friends and waddled back to the game they were playing before Jen was dropped into their play field. </p>
<p>Diavolo and Reggath dusted themselves off as they stood, both grinning from ear to ear. “Their old nanny recommended these play fields for them,” Reggath said. “They’re doing amazing things here.”</p>
<p>Diavolo moved toward the fence, still grinning. “I thought I saw some noble spawn in that bunch.” He hopped the fence with no trouble at all. “That’s promising! What’s the theory behind it?”</p>
<p>Reggath picked up Jen and swung her over the fence, much to her disgust. “They think by raising the castes together, there will be greater cooperation as they age.” He patted Jen roughly on the head. “Guess who inspired that idea.” She batted at his hands. Barb stood by, quietly laughing at their antics. </p>
<p>The new king looked up, a sly expression crossing his face. “Barb, take Jen to the palace now. Father, it’s always wonderful to see you, but duty calls.” Jen looked confused as Barb grabbed her arm and hopped into a portal. </p>
<p>Reggath looked to where his son was gazing, and laughed long and hard. “This is all yours, son. I’ll see you when I see you.” Reggath left the scene, walking toward the nearby village. </p>
<p>Diavolo waited where he stood, until the seven Brothers approached him. He gazed at them all impassively, until they stopped in a loose circle around him. His face became stern, cutting off any complaints that were about to happen. </p>
<p>“My father considers her a daughter,” he began. “So as far as I am concerned, she is my sister.” Seeing the looks of comprehension dawning on their faces, he continued. “I don’t need to explain to you the pain that will rain down on you should you hurt her.” He grinned, suddenly. </p>
<p>“And that is still <em>nothing</em> compared to what Seren would do to you.”</p>
<p>——————</p>
<p>After Jen and Barb landed in the Palace, he reached out with a gentle hand to stop her from leaving. “Come have tea with me,” he invited with a smile. </p>
<p>Unable to find a reason to turn him down, Jen followed him to one of the small kitchens that were littered throughout the Palace. He motioned for her to sit at the small table, while he started working on the tea. </p>
<p>She found his practiced motions soothing, and was soon releasing the tension in her muscles that she didn’t know she was holding. He brought the tea tray to the table and prepared the tea how he knew she liked it, and handed it to her. </p>
<p>Jen took a sip, and further relaxed. Barb waited until she was a few sips in, and then started talking. “This week has been, shall we say, <em>trying</em> for you, hasn’t it?” His face was caring and open, and Jen found herself opening up to her best friend. </p>
<p>Jen placed her teacup down on its saucer, and stared at it. “It started with a funeral, and ended in another death.” She shook her head. “I got to see my kid for the first time in over a hundred years; I found out that my biggest ally and basically my partner was really the fucking Demon King; we laid to rest a centuries old coup; I was attacked by not one, but TWO angels; I went to the funeral of the last surviving human RAD student,” she took a breath. “And oh yeah, I seem to be tied to the Seven Avatars of Sin on a soul-deep level.” She slid her cup to the side and laid her head on the table. </p>
<p>Barb smiled softly at her. “You forgot your appointment to the Council and your elevation in status at Court.”</p>
<p>She tiredly lifted her hand to the table to flip him off. </p>
<p>He chuckled. “Seriously, what is bothering you the most right now?” He reached out and grabbed her hand. He pretended not to see the tear that dropped onto the tablecloth. </p>
<p>“I freaked out last night, Barb. I panicked.” She took a shuddering breath. “Thank fuck Mammon was there and recognized what was happening.” More silent tears splashed the tablecloth. </p>
<p>He squeezed her hand. “That’s completely understandable, though.” Barbatos wanted to wipe her tears away so badly, but he knew that this was no longer an intimacy allowed to him. “What is it about this that scares you?” He asked, instead. </p>
<p>She sat up, quickly dashing the tears from her eyes and cheeks. “What if I never get over it?” she whispered, looking sadder than he’s ever seen her. “I don’t know if I love these guys yet, it’s way too fucking soon; but I care too much about them to make them put up with this crazy nonsense of mine.”</p>
<p>He pulled her hand a little closer. “Jen, listen to me,” his tone firm. “You will get over this, you just said so yourself that it’s too soon to know anything. And while I know there’s always a little corner of your heart reserved for me, I also know that the majority of your heart has been reserved for them, you just didn’t realize it.” He smiled at her raised brow. </p>
<p>“Our new king is many things, but at his heart, he is pure mischief. His punishments seem like nonsense, until you see the results. He sets his rewards up almost as quests, often resulting in the person not even realizing they’ve been rewarded at all.” He grinned at her baffled expression, not following what he was saying. </p>
<p>“Nevermind, let’s just focus on this first.” At her slow nod, he continued. “The Avatars themselves will help you overcome this. They have a vested interest in this arrangement working, afterall.” She slumped in her seat. </p>
<p>“I am not used to feeling like a burden,” she admitted. “I’m the badass human that walks two realms with no worries.” She slowly stood away from the table, and pushed her chair back in. “But don’t cuddle me too much, because I just might have a panic attack.” She rolled her eyes at herself. </p>
<p>Barbatos had risen as well, and walked around the table to her. He wrapped her in a firm hug, and he felt her relax into it. “You are not panicking now. You are the furthest thing from a burden in this entire realm.” He released her, and made sure she saw the sincerity in his expression. “This is a temporary thing. You are young compared to the rest of us, and your sense of time is still skewed that way. Trust me when I say that they will be patient. They’ve waited millennia for you.”</p>
<p>Jen’s eyes widened at his expression, and she slowly nodded, to show him that she understood. “I’m headed back to my room to take a three day nap if anyone needs me.” She smiled at his sudden laughter, and slid out of the room. </p>
<p>Barbatos busied himself with cleaning up the tea things, waiting for the large being hiding around the corner to make his move. He left a plate of pastries out, as a lure. As he expected, Beelzebub showed himself as soon as Jen was out of ear shot. </p>
<p>Barb silently offered the plate to Beelzebub, and Beel took it from him. The giant stood staring at Barbatos, slowly chewing on the treats. He swallowed, and offered Barb a slow smile. “Thank you for being there for her.” Barb nodded slowly, knowing that there was more. </p>
<p>“And thanks for giving her up. I know how hard that must have been.” </p>
<p>Barbatos swallowed, hard. “We were only ever casual, you know.”</p>
<p>Beel locked his gaze onto Barb. “That’s bullshit. It may have been casual on her end, but I have eyes all over this complex.” He took the plate to the sink, his manners as always impeccable. He looked back at Barb. “You’ll find yours one day, I promise you.” He started to leave the room. </p>
<p>“You’re not going to tell me to stay away from her?” Barbatos asked with a grin. </p>
<p>Beel put his hands in his pockets and grinned. “Do you honestly think she’d let that fly?”</p>
<p>Both men chuckled and went their separate ways. </p>
<p>—————-</p>
<p>Lucifer and Diavolo were working in Diavolo’s office, tackling the tasks that were put off during the festival and subsequent hunt for Gabriel. The two friends silently plowed through the pile for hours, until it was a more manageable size. Only then did they break the companionable silence. </p>
<p>“I need to tell you something, and you need to swallow that damn pride of yours and actually listen,” said Diavolo, still flipping through a fiscal report. </p>
<p>Lucifer pulled himself up from his work and silently regarded his friend. When Diavolo used that tone of voice, he was clearly acting as the Demon King, and not as Diavolo. “I’m listening,” Lucifer said, respectfully. </p>
<p>“I need Jen back in the field, and I need you guys to trust her out there and Leave. Her. Alone.” He kept his head lowered to the report but raised his eyes to look at Lucifer. </p>
<p>Lucifer started to object, but Diavolo cut him off. “She is a full member of my Council, and my Court. She has responsibilities and duties, and she can’t do them if you lot are stomping behind her, blowing her cover.” Diavolo was firm. </p>
<p>“But your father-“ Lucifer started.</p>
<p>Diavolo cut him off. “Make no mistake, he works for <em>Jen</em>, not me. If I told him I needed him to do this, he’d laugh in my face.” His face softened as he took pity on his friend. “I know it’s new to you what she does, but she’s been doing this for a long time. I can’t tell you everything she’s done, but she has a living record in the archive dedicated to just her exploits. It’s currently spelled so that only myself or Jen can read it or update it.” </p>
<p>Lucifer looked thoughtful at that. Diavolo knew he was realizing that if her actions were important enough to be recorded, then they were definitely needed. The Avatars’ living record covered all seven of them in one book, and here was one human who needed one all to herself. </p>
<p>Diavolo went in for the kill. “Belphegor has known who she was for the last seventy years, and still respects her when their paths cross in the field.” Lucifer’s brows raised. That was news to him. “And if Belphegor can manage it, then I certainly know that you can control the rest of your brothers.” Diavolo smirked, knowing that he poked at Lucifer’s pride. </p>
<p>Lucifer’s eyes flashed, his Pride rising. “Of course I can control my Brothers.” Knowing he was being played made his Pride spike again. “I would like access to her living record.”</p>
<p>Diavolo sat back in his chair and snorted. “No.”</p>
<p>Swallowing his temper back, Lucifer tried to remain calm. “May I ask why?”</p>
<p>Diavolo smirked. “Sure. Ask away.” </p>
<p>“Don’t be a prick, Dia,” Lucifer snapped. “It’s not a good look.”</p>
<p>Diavolo smiled with glee. It wasn’t often he could get a rise out of his friend, and it was always so much fun when it happened. <em>I’ll have to thank Jen later for this.</em> “No need to get nasty, Lucifer. You know the laws as well as I do. Those stay sealed for five hundred years, then they become part of the public record. It’s to prevent tampering with active cases and altering of potentially unflattering commentary of the nobility.”</p>
<p>Lucifer sighed and shook his head. “I’d be more upset, but it is Jen we’re talking about. She loves to make my life more difficult.”</p>
<p>Diavolo just grinned at his friend. “Alright, I’ve said what I needed to say.” He turned back to the spreadsheet in his hand. “Tell me your opinion on the revenue shortfall in the retail sector this quarter.”</p>
<p>——————</p>
<p>Levi was sitting at his desk, reviewing the last week of naval maneuvers and issuing stand down orders. The past week had really put him behind on battalion reviews. Plus three new anime seasons had been released, and he was so far behind in work he couldn’t even watch them. </p>
<p>He was laying out a schedule for inspections, when there was a knock on his door. “Password!” he called out, not looking away from his monitors. </p>
<p>“How about ‘fuck you’, does that work?”</p>
<p>Levi grinned and waved his door open for Belphegor. “‘Sup?” he asked, his attention still on his monitors. Belphie made his way to Levi’s spare chair, dropping into with a sigh. </p>
<p>“I’m at loose ends until Asmo and Jen get caught up,” Belphie explained, executing a lazy full bodied stretch. “I suspect we’ll have a power vacuum on our hands, since we cut out those three demons, but we don’t know the players yet.” He fell into the loose-boned slouch that only Belphie could make look comfortable. </p>
<p>Levi finished typing his current thought, then swiveled his chair to face Belphie. “Why aren’t you napping?” he asked, curiously. “You’ve never avoided a chance to top up your powers before.” The twins were unique among the Brothers, able to generate their power from indulging in their sins, rather than feeding off of others. </p>
<p>A slight frown crossed Belphie’s face, more like he was thinking rather than he was upset. “Do you have time for a long conversation? Can you put off what you’re doing?” He looked seriously into his brother’s eyes. “You’re the only one that has the kind of answers I need.”</p>
<p>Levi blinked, as always surprised when people sought him out as a first resort. “I have to finish sending off these orders, I should be free in an hour?” He squinted at his aquarium. “Yeah, it looks like I will be.” He turned back to his screens. “Feel free to pass out in my tub,” he told Belphie. </p>
<p>He rolled his eyes as soft snores sounded from the chair. </p>
<p>——————-</p>
<p>Mammon was currently being prodded by several sticks and the back of his eyes tickled from the discovery spells that had been cast on him. He wavered on the stool he was perched on, and he felt a steady hand land on his shoulder. </p>
<p>“Almost done,” murmured a quiet Satan. </p>
<p>“Ya already said that,” grumbled Mammon. They had been at this for hours already. His broken pacts with the covens necessitated this examination. </p>
<p>Satan smiled. “We need to make sure that the covens didn’t lay any traps in you to protect their pacts. They tend to be rather <em>greedy</em> when it comes to you.” He waved an amulet over Mammon’s aura, and let out an incredulous laugh. </p>
<p>Hearing the change in Satan’s tone, Mammon became concerned. “What?! What did ya find?!”</p>
<p>Satan took a deep breath. He didn’t know whether he should be angry on his brother’s behalf, or laugh his ass off at the audacity. He found himself somewhere in the middle. “The MoonRiver Coven left their signature here, all right. And luckily, I can remove it.” He was trying to hold back his laughter, but it came out as a giggle-snort. “Tell me,” he said, still trying to hold back laughter, “how often did you sit down naked around them?”</p>
<p>A feeling of dread came over Mammon. “Uhhhh, I mean, I, uh…” the truth was that Mammon tended to be naked everytime he dealt with witches. He felt it was only polite since all of them practiced their ceremonies that way. </p>
<p>Satan made a sketch in the air in front of Mammon’s eyes. “Here’s their signature,” he chortled. </p>
<p>Before Mammon’s eyes, the words formed in mid-air. </p>
<p>
  <strong>“This Bitch is the Property of the MoonRiver Coven”</strong>
</p>
<p>Mammon’s dread became stronger, knowing that Satan wouldn’t have found this as hilarious as he had if there wasn’t more to it. “Where was it?” he asked, cautiously. </p>
<p>Satan smirked. “I don’t know if I want to tell you.” He would be telling the rest of his Brothers, of course. He wasn’t passing this up. </p>
<p>“Satan.” Mammon’s voice deepened with command. </p>
<p>Tears of laughter started streaming from Satan’s eyes. “From ass to tip, brother mine. From ass to tip.”</p>
<p><em>Fuuuuuuuck</em>, thought Mammon. </p>
<p>—————</p>
<p>Asmo was at his favorite table at Hell’s Kitchen. He loved the chaos and bustle of the dive bar, and it was busy enough he could have a conversation without anyone listening. </p>
<p>He had absolutely tons of work and leads waiting for him at Court, but this conversation could not be put off. </p>
<p>It was best to discuss break ups in person, afterall. </p>
<p>He had just finished ordering drinks from the waiter, when he was joined by Solomon. Solomon pulled out a chair and sat across from Asmo. They sat silently, staring at each other until the drinks arrived. </p>
<p>“How have you been?” Asmo asked, awkwardly peeling the label off his bottle. </p>
<p>Solomon cleared his throat. “Good. Good.” He bit his lip, staring at his drink. “You?”</p>
<p>“Oh. You know. Never better,” Asmo laughed, awkwardly. They made eye contact, and they both burst out laughing, awkwardness forgotten. </p>
<p>“Oh, my wizard king, I should have known that losing my pact wouldn’t phase you at all!” Asmo laughed. </p>
<p>Solomon sat back and grinned. “While it hurt like hell to lose it, I’m glad that we’ve always been friends. It makes the empty spot hurt less.” He took a sip of his drink. “If you want, we can remake the pact.”</p>
<p>Asmo was already shaking his head. “No, Solomon. The former Demon King was clear. No pacts, no split loyalties. We can’t clearly advise the king if there are possible conflicts of interests.” To tell the truth, Asmo was rather relieved to have a ready excuse on hand. </p>
<p>Solomon shrugged and set some money on the table. “The offer is there if you change your mind.” He flirted with the waiter when he came to collect the money. Without moving his eyes from the blushing waiter, he asked Asmo, “I’m headed to The Fall this evening. Will you be there?”</p>
<p>Asmo smiled at his incorrigible friend. “No, I am absolutely swamped with work, I need to play catch up for a bit.” He closed his eyes as he received a rush of power from Solomon and the waiter. “But do be careful, Solomon. I won’t be able to feel when you get yourself into a jam anymore.” He opened his eyes and regarded the sorcerer solemnly. “If I were you, I’d set some time up with Barbatos and reconnect. He’s the strongest demon you have a pact with, and would be a good ally.”</p>
<p>Solomon snorted as he stood from the table and followed the waiter into the alley. Asmo shook his head. </p>
<p><em>That man’s dick is going to lead him straight to trouble,</em>he thought. </p>
<p>—————</p>
<p><em>Michael’s face turns the prettiest colors,</em> thought Seren. </p>
<p>They were currently in hour five of the longest lecture they’ve received in their entire life. Apparently, leaving the Celestial Realm without express permission from Michael was a giant no-no. </p>
<p>Even though by doing so, they ended a problem that threatened all three realms. </p>
<p>“Now tell me WHY you felt you could just up and leave this realm without my permission?” Michael stood before them, arms crossed, foot tapping. The expression on his face showed that he had probably asked this question more than once. </p>
<p>Seren sighed. “It was the right thing to do,” they said, simply, tired of trying to figure out the excuse he wanted to hear. </p>
<p>Then Michael surprised them by switching from furious to beautific. “That is the correct answer, little one.” He smiled at their confusion. “You will be faced with countless moments in the future where you won’t have all of the information. You’ll have to trust your inner self.” He reached out and ruffled their hair. “Uriel can teach you more of this. As archangels, we find ourselves responding to situations in ways that can baffle us. He’ll teach you how he responds.”</p>
<p>He backed up, getting ready to leave. “How did you get his sword from him, anyway?”</p>
<p>Seren grinned. “He was having me practice manifesting weapons, and I just happened to have it on me still when I left.” </p>
<p>Michael sighed, but still smiled. “You are going to keep this place from getting boring, that’s for sure, young Seren.” He raised his head, as if listening to someone. “Now go find young Luke and let him know you're ok.” He smiled knowingly. </p>
<p>Seren smiled and nodded. Luke was one of the only reasons they stayed happy the first fifty years or so, when most of the realm hated them. The other archangels were ok, and Simeon was always nice, but Luke had gone out of his way to welcome them. The two of them had developed a deep friendship as a result. </p>
<p>Seren left Michael’s presence, and flew across the realm to the home that Luke and Simeon shared. She could smell something baking as they approached, which caused their stomach to growl. They reached out with their mind, politely waiting for Luke to acknowledge them. </p>
<p>Happiness surged through their bond, and Seren grinned. They landed and Luke met them at the open door. </p>
<p>“Seren!” Luke exclaimed. “Come in! I just made these cookies from a recipe that Barbatos gave me! Come try!”</p>
<p>Seren smiled gently at their small friend and walked into his home. </p>
<p>—————-</p>
<p>Levi finished up his current project and spun in his chair. He picked up a piece of paper, crumpled it up, and chucked it at a sleeping Belphie. Belphie sometimes woke up swinging, and he had no desire to deal with that today. </p>
<p>Belphie awoke quickly, catching the ball of paper before it hit him. He tossed it back with no heat. “All done?” he asked. </p>
<p>Levi shrugged. “As much as I’m ever done.” In truth, he had an all-nighter ahead of him again. </p>
<p>Belphie nodded. “I hope this won’t take long, but I don’t know for sure.” He leaned forward in his seat, elbows hanging off his knees. “When you get back from sea, we’re talking your years’ long deployments, you can’t stand having anyone physically close to you.” He noticed Levi squirming in his seat, already uncomfortable. </p>
<p>“How do we help our girl?” Belphie asked. </p>
<p>Leviathan shifted awkwardly in his seat. “What makes you think I know that answer to that?” he asked. “And why do you think she needs help? She seemed fine to me.” A smug look came over his face.</p>
<p>Belphie narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?” he asked, suspiciously. </p>
<p>Levi grew even more smug. “I mean, she didn’t shut me down when we were at her human realm house.” His eyes glowed slightly as he fed on Belphegor’s sudden jealousy. </p>
<p>Belphie noticed Levi’s eyes, and tried his hardest to beat back his envy. “You’ve been at her house? No one knows where that is.” Levi grinned at him. </p>
<p>“I do now. I had to help her with some angel trouble. When we were done, I asked if I could get a reward, and she said yes.” Levi shrugged. He frowned, then exchanged a wide-eyed look with Belphegor. “That’s it! That’s the answer!”</p>
<p>Belphie tilted his head. “You mean asking her before we touch her?”</p>
<p>Levi nodded enthusiastically. “YES. It’s just like in the anime <em>I Was Once A Lonely Orphan and Now I Have a Giant Found Family</em>! My biggest problem when I come back is that I spent so much time alone in deep water that someone coming into my space I still read as a threat. In <em>Jen’s</em> case, she had to actively make sure no one touched her on accident!” Levi’s voice rose in excitement. </p>
<p>“So what you’re saying then,” Belphie mused, “is that we should announce our intentions” He tugged on his hair. “That’ll be tough if she wakes up in a panic at night again.”</p>
<p>Levi snorted, turning back to his screens. As far as he was concerned, the problem was solved and the conversation was over. “Or you could just give her some fucking space and time, dickhead.”</p>
<p>——————-</p>
<p>
  <em>Twelve Hours Later</em>
</p>
<p>Jen sat up in bed and stretched, feeling a million times better. She swung her legs out of the bed and padded into the bathroom, mentally making a list of what she needed to accomplish today. </p>
<p>After her shower, she got dressed, grabbed her D.D.D. and walked into her living room. Ajax rose to greet her, and she made a fuss over him before settling into her favorite corner on the couch. </p>
<p>Frowning at her device, she realized that she hadn’t checked it for a full 36 hours, and her backlog was atrocious. Sighing, she got up and went to her desk to grab a pad of paper to figure out priorities. </p>
<p>She was settling back down on the couch, when a knock sounded on the door of her suite. “Come in!” she called, not looking up from her work. </p>
<p>The door opened, revealing a frowning Beelzebub with an armload of food. “Barb is right, you do need a refresher on security protocols.” She rolled her eyes, continuing her lists. He walked the food to the dining nook, and busied himself with setting up breakfast.</p>
<p>When he was finished setting up, he turned to let her know to come to the table. He smiled softly when he saw her bent over her coffee table, awkwardly trying to write on a pad of paper with one hand and checking her D.D.D. with the other. </p>
<p>He walked over to her, keeping in mind the conversation he overheard her having with Barbatos. He squatted down next to her, close to her, but carefully not touching her. “Hey,” he said softly, trying to catch her attention without startling her. </p>
<p>She lifted her gaze to his, and he could tell her half her brain was still working on the problems in front of her. “Come eat.” He watched her gear up to deny the food, so he spoke up before she could get a word out. “It looks like you’re going to be heading out soon, and if you’re anything like Belphie, you’ll forget to eat out there.” He smiled sweetly at her. “Come keep me company while I eat, then?”</p>
<p>She felt her resolve melting, and put her things on the coffee table. She went to stand, and accepted Beel’s hand he held out to help her up. He kept her hand in his and led her to the dining room. He settled her at her seat, then took his place across from her. He poured her a cup of coffee, and made sure her plate was full before he started eating. </p>
<p>Jen’s stomach gave a growl, and she grinned sheepishly at Beel. She dug into her food, suddenly ravenous. Beel beamed sunnily at her as he plowed through his substantial breakfast. </p>
<p>They ate in comfortable silence, and once the worst of her hunger pangs were assuaged, she grabbed her coffee and sat back in her chair. “Thank you, Beel,” she said. “You’re right, I would’ve totally forgotten to eat.” She took a sip of her coffee, now happy for the interruption. </p>
<p>Beel finished all of the food quickly (giving the empty plates a sad look), and sat back in his chair as well. “Who do you normally check in and out with?” he asked. </p>
<p>She shrugged. “Barb usually has a general idea of where I am, and sometimes I’m chasing down something on behalf of Diavolo, but for the most part, I’m on my own.”</p>
<p>Beel struggled to keep his emotions under control, trying to keep in mind that she was a professional. He took a deep breath. “Would you mind adding an extra step to your process?” She lifted an eyebrow. He waved his hands in front of him. “I promise to not interfere with your work. Belphie’s seen you in the field and he says you know what you’re doing.” He placed his hands on the table. “Can you please send me a text when you leave, and when you return?”</p>
<p>She took a breath to answer, and he hastily interrupted. “Think of it as checking in and out with castle security, not because of anything personal!” He looked at her hopefully, and she couldn’t help smiling at him. </p>
<p>“Yeah, I can totally do that.” His grin lit up the room. “But only you,” she said, firmly.</p>
<p>He nodded, agreeing. “I have no issues at all with that. You’re not a child. You don’t even need to tell me where you’re going, just let me know when you’re in the field.” He stood, gathering the breakfast things. “I need to get back to work.” He knelt by her chair and regarded her solemnly. </p>
<p>“We are not going to rush you. Do not worry about that. We are your friends first and foremost.” He smiled shyly. “But can I please kiss your cheek before I go? It looks like I won’t see you for a few days.” </p>
<p>Jen melted at the sight of his sweet face. “I’ll do you one better,” she said, and leaned over and kissed his lips gently. She pulled back, and smiled at his surprised face. “Don’t you have to go to work?” she teased. </p>
<p>His face was full of happiness as he stood. “I really do.” He walked toward the exit, carrying the breakfast dishes. “Please don’t forget to let me know when you leave.”</p>
<p>She nodded, “I will.”</p>
<p>Beel stopped, half way exasperated at the door. “Get over here and lock it behind me, please.” He watched her as she reluctantly got up and walked over. “When you get back, save some time for a meeting with me about security procedures, please,” he ordered, in full Captain of the Guard attitude. </p>
<p>She held the door open for him, and gave him a mock salute. “It’s a date,” she said. His answering smile made her swoon a little, and he waited until she closed the door and locked it before leaving. </p>
<p>She turned back to her work on the coffee table and sighed. She had a long day ahead of her.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Bet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jen sat cross-legged on the floor in front of her coffee table, staring at the messy handwritten spreadsheet she’d created. A clear pattern was emerging, and she could start to feel the thrill of the hunt rise in her veins. </p>
<p>Some new players were trying to enter the ring. </p>
<p>It had only been a few days since the execution of Mephisto and his allies, but already the lower castes were buzzing about new visitors to country homes, and unusual shipments arriving at the docks. Jen smiled. Time to pay a visit to one of her best informants. </p>
<p>She stood up, sliding her D.D.D. into her back pocket. Ajax, her hellhound, hauled himself up from the hearth, tail wagging. She snagged a jacket from her closet and left her rooms, making sure they were sealed behind her. They walked down to the storage rooms in the basement, Ajax on full alert. Creepy things hide in the dark corners of the Devildom.</p>
<p>Jen walked to the storage room that held her personal household goods and opened the door. The being she was seeing today had particular tastes and she had just the thing in storage. </p>
<p>Over the years, Jen’s collection of household goods had dwindled, from being used as bribes or just to the ravages of time. However, the things she was looking for today were special, and almost indestructible. </p>
<p>Moving aside a bin holding random cords, she found the box she was looking for. Opening the box labeled “Junk Drawer”, she dug around until she found the prize. She gave a small chuckle, and stowed the objects in her coat pocket. She closed up the boxes and stepped away, clicking her tongue at Ajax to follow her. “Let’s head outside, bud. Then we’ll take off,” she told him. </p>
<p>She went to the hidden exit in the hallway and slid out of the door, Ajax on her heels. Remembering her promise to Beel, she sent him a text that she was leaving. He responded immediately with a happy face emoji. She smiled and slid her D.D.D back into her pocket. </p>
<p>Jen took a deep breath, a thrill running through her body. She lived for shit like this. “Ok, Ajax,” she told the hellhound. “We’re headed to the City.”</p>
<p>Ajax gave the equivalent of a doggie grin as he shook himself to the size of a horse. She hopped on his back, and let out a low howl and entered his portal. </p>
<p>They entered the second layer of hell just outside of the City, a sprawling megaplex composed of both skyscrapers and tar-paper shacks. From the outside, it looked like someone had taken elements of every major city throughout history, and threw them together with zero rhyme or reason. From the inside, it was even worse.</p>
<p>Jen always left Ajax outside of the City. Most demons were terrified of hellhounds, and they hated looking weak above all else. She could always whistle for him if she needed him too badly. He leaned down and snuffled her hair, and she chuckled while she scratched his muzzle. “Happy hunting,” she told him. He shook himself to the size of a house and went bounding off to the edges of the layer to hunt lost human souls and sprites.</p>
<p>She smiled at his enthusiasm and walked into the City. She was immediately engulfed in the chaos, panic, violence, and the noise of the City. If Jen ever forgot that hell ran on the torture of human souls, all she had to do was come here and be reminded. Perpetual traffic jams, horrifying crosswalks, things (and souls) falling from the tops of skyscrapers, random gangs, street crime, and generally just every small town person’s largest fears about big cities. Luckily, Reggath taught her how to navigate the city efficiently.</p>
<p>Sidestepping a group of demons fighting over a tattered soul, she leaned casually against the wall of a derelict bus shelter, activating the secret door. She entered it quickly, shutting it behind her. Now in front of her, instead of chaos incarnate, lay an organized collection of walkways and streets, and on every block, a clearly labeled door. </p>
<p>She walked the equivalent of several miles until she reached the doorway she was searching for. The sign above it read “Night Market B”. Jen stepped quickly through the doorway, closing it behind her. </p>
<p>Stalls and stalls of loud craftsmen as far as she could see greeted her. Walking forward briskly, she dodged demonic street urchins and questionable puddles as she headed unerringly toward her destination. </p>
<p>After turning several corners, she arrived at a nondescript stall selling spell components. She waited patiently for the stall’s owner to finish haggling with a noble demon. Elvathid was the best at what she does, and demons came from all over hell to buy from her. </p>
<p>The deal was done and money changed hands, when the willowy demon turned to Jen. </p>
<p>“Well then, Lady Jen. Always lovely to see you.” The tone in the demon's voice indicated otherwise. “I can’t imagine why you’re here, you have no use for my products.” Elvathid gave her an appraising look. </p>
<p>“Aw, Elva, you know me better than that!” Jen grinned, affably. “I ran across something and I thought my <em>old friend</em> would like to see it.” She kept up her grin, and stuffed her hands in her pockets. </p>
<p>Elva sniffed, and nodded her head at the tent in the back of the stall. Jen didn’t wait for further instructions. She entered the stall and walked through the curtain. She paused to let her eyes adjust to the low lighting. </p>
<p>An ancient gremlin greeted her when she entered. “Hello, old friend,” he wheezed. She smiled as a greeting, and took a seat next to him. </p>
<p>“Hey Bevel. You’re laying on pretty thick with the whole ‘old soul’ thing, aren’t you?” He laughed, no longer sounding ancient bellows.</p>
<p>“One day, I’ll be able to get some respect out of you, young Jen!” he laughed. A shiver in the air around him revealed an attractive male demon of indeterminate caste. “You’re not here to catch up, Lady Jen,” said the demon. “What do I know that you need to know?” His look became sly. “More importantly, can you meet my price?”</p>
<p>She grinned. “I got you, old man.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out one of the items from her storage room. </p>
<p>His eyes got wide, “Is that.. I never thought…!” He swallowed. “There’s only one bit of info that I have that’s worth this!” Jen hid a grin. </p>
<p>“Tell me, and this is yours.” She waved the plastic wrapped spork/napkin combo. She saw him hesitating. “The wrap is still 100% sealed. This is as close to mint as you can get.” She watched his expression as he made his decision. </p>
<p>He told her what he knew, and Jen nodded. She handed him the plastic wrapped spork, and got up to leave. “I have another one of those,” she said, nodding her head at his hand. “It’s yours if you can find out a timeline.”</p>
<p>Bevel held his spork reverently and agreed. Jen let herself out of the room, and waved to Elvathid on her way out. </p>
<p>Mentally going through her plans, she realized that she could cut out several steps now. She made it safely through the secret door, and taking advantage of the quiet, grabbed her D.D.D. and sent a text. Jen slid the device back into her pocket and ran her way back to the entrance of the City.</p>
<p>She needed to hitch a ride from Ajax to the Port.</p>
<p>----------------</p>
<p>Asmodeus was currently drifting through a Court luncheon, listening in on conversations and taking mental note of anything out of the ordinary. Aside from Diavolo’s ascension to king, there weren't really any other deep conversations happening. He decided to turn his attention to one of his favorite things: fashion.</p>
<p>Asmo took mental notes of which nobles seemed a little behind the times, which lady suddenly changed fashions, which lord decided to take an interest in fashion, and most importantly, who was suddenly wearing something they shouldn’t be able to afford. Most beings thought to look at jewelry for things like that, but Asmo knew better.</p>
<p>People always bought new clothes first when they came into a windfall. </p>
<p>A minor lord caught his eye. <em>Hmm, my lord, since when did you start wearing Human Realm clothes?</em> he mused to himself. He became distracted by a vibration in his pocket. He grabbed his D.D.D. and smiled when he saw it was from Jen.</p>
<p>
  <strong>”Hi Asmo! Strong Source says that House Astroneth is trying to make a move up again. I’m tracking down a lead right now to back up Source’s story. See you in a few days!”</strong>
</p>
<p>Asmo shook his head in bemusement. Jen was clearly cutting corners now that she didn’t have to hide her involvement anymore. He sent a text in reply and sent a few other texts while he was at it. He frowned. House Astroneth had tried once before to eliminate Jen, using a human intermediary. He artfully tossed his head back, fluffing his hair. He used the movement to check out Lord Astroneth’s location.</p>
<p>He found him still seated at the grand table, chatting affably with his friends. Asmo reached out with his power, and almost reeled from the strength of the lust for power the lord was projecting. Taking a subtle breath to settle the massive influx of power he had just received, Asmo worked his way through the room, roaming from demon to demon, greeting and flirting with everyone, until he ended up at Lord Astroneth’s side. </p>
<p>Because coming right out and talking to him would be too obvious, even for Asmo, Asmo started a light conversation with a couple of the nobles around him, making sure to keep the subjects light, and his tone flirtatious. As he suspected, a certain lord did not appreciate being ignored.</p>
<p>“Lord Asmodeus,” drawled the noble. “Funny how your brothers never join us here, but you… you always make time for us little fellas.” He sat back in his seat, the very picture of a bored noble lord. </p>
<p>Aware that all eyes were on him, Asmo turned up his charm. He leaned his hip so that he sat halfway on the table next to Astroneth. He smiled. “Oh, you know me, Lord Astroneth, I live for gossip and drama.” He turned to the demon’s companions at the table, flirtatiously, “So when did you two decide to start fucking, and why wasn’t I invited?” </p>
<p>The laughter from the crowd at Asmo’s usual antics almost covered up the surprised sputters from the two lesser nobles. Asmo kept preening, peeking at Astroneth through his hair. The noble’s demon side kept flashing to the top as he fought to control his anger. </p>
<p><em>Interesting…</em> Asmo thought to himself.</p>
<p>Blowing kisses at everyone around him, Asmo stood up from the table. “Alas, my dears, duty calls! I will see absolutely all of you again! Adieu!” He sauntered out the main doors, slowly, to make sure everyone stared at his ass. He opened up his senses and feasted on the lust that was sent his way. </p>
<p>Once he left the room, he made a show of heading behind a massive pillar, and waited. </p>
<p>As he expected, he was followed out by the two demons he had called out. They approached him like they wanted to fight. He smiled sunnily at them. “It’s too bothersome to fight out here, let’s go to more <em>private</em> quarters.” He sashayed away to a side room, sending flirty looks over his shoulders.</p>
<p>The two angry demons followed him into a storage room, and were startled by the door slamming shut and locking behind them. They turned back to the room, and paled when they saw an angry Asmodeus, and a cold-looking Belphegor.</p>
<p>Asmo gestured to the door and walls, and sound wards sprung up at his command. Belphie walked to the back of the room, where he had set up a table and some ominous looking tools above a drain in the floor.</p>
<p>One of the demons tried to run, but Asmo simply grabbed his collar and threw him to Belphie. Belphie caught him and trussed him up with wire using a practiced hand. Asmo grabbed the other one and dragged him over the floor to Belphie’s work area. “You get to watch,” Asmo murmured to him. “And know if we don’t like what we hear, or we feel like he’s not telling the truth, you will get three times what he’s getting.” He held the back of the demon’s head and pointed it toward his partner. “So you had better make sure that he tells the truth.”</p>
<p>Belphegor leaned his hips against the table, arms crossed. “Why are you suddenly aligned with House Astroneth?” He asked it like he didn’t give a shit about the answer.</p>
<p>“We’re not!” gasped the demon. </p>
<p>Belphie shrugged, and lazily reached for the meathook. </p>
<p>--------------------</p>
<p>Ajax dropped Jen off at the warehouse district and ran off to play with the local pack. Checking her D.D.D., she laughed at the kissy face emoji from Asmo. She walked casually around the busy warehouses, slowly making her way to the giant customs building. Hands in her pockets, she wandered over to the portal agent to see the wait time for additional passengers. </p>
<p>She caught the attention of the agent, and the lower demon waved her over. “Hey, Jen,” the harried agent welcomed. “I’m afraid I won’t have an opening for weeks.” She motioned at the surrounding chaos. “There’s been a huge uptick in imports this past week.”</p>
<p>Jen looked around and let out a low whistle. “Who’s sending it down?” The law states that the portal demons can’t say who the shipment is for, for the safety of the recipient. It <em>doesn’t</em> say that they can’t say who sent it.</p>
<p>The agent scratched at her horns. “Witches. A couple of covens.” She looked around, and lowered her voice. “All for one recipient.”</p>
<p>Jen raised her eyebrows at that. While technically not breaking the law, the agent could still get in a lot of trouble for giving Jen that much information. Which meant the amount of product coming through was alarming, even to jaded portal agents.</p>
<p>“Well, ok, if you can’t fit me in, you can’t fit me in,” said Jen, loudly. “Nothing you can do about it I guess.” She nodded her head to the agent and wandered to the back where the offices were. She knocked on his door, and grinned as he grumbled at her to come in. She entered and sat down on the stool in front of him.</p>
<p>“I swear, Jen, if I had known how much paperwork I was going to be doing, I’d’ve told you to stick this job up your ass,” the big red demon grumbled at her, from behind a tower of papers. He sighed. “But you’re here at a good time. You see that mountain of shit out there? House Astroneth.” He smiled grimly at her nod. “But NOT Lord Astroneth.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Huh,” she said, thinking. “Are the witches bribing, selling, or trading?” She looked at Reggath. “Who’s on the hook for the taxes if the Lord isn’t paying?”</p>
<p>He grinned. “I knew you’d ask that, so I sent a list of them to Asmodeus and Belphegor.” He leaned forward, conspiratively. “A good half of this stuff is going to be delayed in customs, and another quarter is going to be lost entirely.” They both chuckled. Their team warehouse is going to be packed.</p>
<p>“Welp, I’m useless when it comes to nobles. I’m going to leave it with Asmo and Belphie,” Jen said. She was information not conviction. She stretched, arms to the ceiling. “Normally, I’d go check out the covens, but this much stuff stinks like politics.” They both grimaced. Neither of them were any good at that. </p>
<p>Jen sighed and slid off her stool. “Guess I better go report in.” </p>
<p>Reggath stopped her. “How are you really doing, baby girl?” he asked, face sober. </p>
<p>She gave him a half smile. “Like I need a break.”</p>
<p>“Then take one,” he urged. “Take a month, head to your place. All this stuff can wait. You’re getting too lost in the weeds here.” He smiled softly at her. “It’s ok to relax, too. We live a long time. Don’t make yourself miserable.”</p>
<p>She smiled softly at him. “Thanks for that. I keep feeling like everything should happen right this second, and that’s not how any of this works at all. It never has!”</p>
<p>Reggath stood and walked around his desk, and clapped a hand on her shoulder. “Good. I’d hate for you to turn into that overworked, miserable son of bitch that my oldest son made his VP.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe you actually <em>like</em> him.”</p>
<p>Jen laughed, as he had intended. “Jury’s still out on that.” </p>
<p>——————</p>
<p>Diavolo was alone in his office, for once. He was feeling rather restless. He had finally been made king, only to realize that despite the change in title, literally nothing else had changed. </p>
<p>He’d been running things for his father for so long, that nothing <em>new</em> happened when he became king. Sure, he had a lot more raw power at his disposal, but he had become rather used to ruling via the council. </p>
<p>In short, he was bored. </p>
<p>And a bored Diavolo is always an agent of chaos. </p>
<p>A knock sounded at his door. He reached his senses out, and smiled when he felt Jen on the other side of the door. “Come, Jen! Come in!” he called out, happily. </p>
<p>She opened the door and walked into his office, remembering that he told her to never bow to him at the last second. “Hi, Diavolo,” she said. “I have a couple of things I need to report, then I have a personal matter to discuss with you.” </p>
<p>He motioned to the chair in front of his desk. “Of course,” he said, soberly. “Have a seat.” Internally, he was turning cartwheels. Finally! Something different!</p>
<p>He listened closely to Jen’s findings, agreeing with her assessment that she shouldn’t be the one to investigate the covens (he wasn’t even sure if he should send Mammon ever again, frankly). He knew that she and his father were probably skimming goods off of these mystery shipments, but he didn’t ask and she didn’t tell. </p>
<p>Then came time to discuss her personal matter. </p>
<p>“I need a break, Diavolo,” she said, bluntly. “I’m thinking of heading to my place for a month and doing absolutely nothing.”</p>
<p>He smiled kindly at her. “Of course you do, and I don’t see a problem with that all.” He started swiveling his chair from side-to-side. “You know you don’t have to do any of this stuff anyway.” He pointed a pen at her. “You are a welcome part of the Court and Council, no torturing or espionage required. We’ve talked about this.” Indeed they had, usually while Barbatos was sewing her injuries up. </p>
<p>Jen grinned. “And how good would my council be if I didn’t have first hand knowledge to back it up? Lucifer would have a field day with that!”</p>
<p>Diavolo threw his head back and laughed. “I hope the two of you never lose that snark with each other.” The mention of Lucifer brought forth Chaos Agent Diavolo. </p>
<p>He grinned at her, and she eyed him warily. She’d seen that grin before, and it never boded well. </p>
<p>“Wanna make a bet?” His grin became even wider. </p>
<p>Infected with her own sense of chaotic humor, Jen sat back in her chair. “What about?”</p>
<p>“How long it will take for the Brothers to track you down and join you.” He tented his fingers under his chin and his eyes started gleaming. He noticed the laughter in her eyes, even though her face was still serious. </p>
<p>“All seven?” she asked. </p>
<p>“All seven,” he agreed. </p>
<p>“Rules?”</p>
<p>“No one will tell them, including you, where you are. They have to find you.” He swiveled his chair back and forth some more. “You can’t come back until the last one joins you.”</p>
<p>“You mean Lucifer.” They both grinned at each other. </p>
<p>“Do any of them know where your place is?” He asked. </p>
<p>“Levi, and I’m pretty sure Mammon can find out, Number Two has been there,” she told him. He nodded. </p>
<p>“Let’s get Barbatos in here to witness!” He vigorously pulled on the seldom used call rope. Barb arrived within moments, mortified that his Lord had a guest and he had not served her refreshments. </p>
<p>“I’m FINE, Barb! Honestly!” Jen tutted at him. “We need you to witness our bet, though.”</p>
<p>Barb side-eyed both of them. Neither of them had any sort of common sense when they got like this. They laid out the rules of the bet for him first, and he was cautiously optimistic. This actually seemed like a nice way of forcing Jen to take a break. </p>
<p>“Ok, Jen, how long do you think it will take?” Barb asked her. </p>
<p>“Three months,” she said, surprising both of the men. </p>
<p>“Really? Why?” asked Diavolo. </p>
<p>“You make your bet, and THEN I will tell you my reasons,” she said firmly. </p>
<p>“I think six months,” said Diavolo. </p>
<p>“Closest without going over?” She asked, and he nodded his agreement. “And if it takes longer than six months?”</p>
<p>Barb snorted. Both of them glared at him. “No cheating, Barbatos!” the king yelled. </p>
<p>Barb chuckled, not the least put out. “Your stakes?”</p>
<p>Jen looked abashed. “I hadn’t thought of any.”</p>
<p>Diavolo grinned. “I did.”</p>
<p>She waved at him to go first so she could think about it. </p>
<p>“If I win, I get to declare the first child you have with the Brothers my heir, and you don’t get to bitch about it.”</p>
<p>Jen’s jaw dropped. “What?!”</p>
<p>Diavolo was really having a blast now. “Oh, I was planning on naming them heir anyway, winning the bet just means you can’t bitch about it.” He was positively gleeful. </p>
<p>Jen wracked her brain for a suitable counter bet, then she grinned. “If I win, you have to spend a week with your dad and Michael in a small house. And you can’t leave.”</p>
<p>He shuddered. “You are a cruel and heartless woman.”</p>
<p>“Chicken out?”</p>
<p>“Not a chance! Barb, witness!” And the king reached his hand out to Jen, and they clasped hands. Barb sketched the air above them and locked in the bet. </p>
<p>Jen let go and stood up. “Alright, I need to grab a few things and then I’ll leave.” She turned to Barb, “Can I have the Palace portal tonight?”</p>
<p>“Of course,” he nodded. “I’ll follow you to your rooms.” They both said their farewells to Diavolo, and left his office. </p>
<p>Diavolo grinned evilly at the closed door. </p>
<p>—————</p>
<p>Jen and Barb started walking back to her rooms. “Don’t let him cheat TOO much, would you, Barb?” Jen implored. </p>
<p>He chuckled. They both knew that the king would do everything he could to insure a win. “You know,” he started, “you seem terribly accepting that he just expects you to have a child with the Brothers.”</p>
<p>She shrugged, as she dodged a busy chambermaid. “It feels inevitable, really,” she said. “I like kids, and no one is saying that it has to happen in the next hundred years. We have time.” </p>
<p>He turned his head sideways so that she wouldn’t see his smile. Just a small hint of vacation, and she already was sounding like her old self.</p>
<p>They entered her rooms, greeted by Ajax. They grabbed her go bags and checked them, filling in any missing supplies. She grabbed her D.D.D., and let Barb watch over her shoulder as she texted Beel that she was leaving the castle again. </p>
<p>
  <strong>Hey there! Leaving again!</strong>
</p>
<p>His reply was a sunshine emoji. </p>
<p>“Do you even want to win this thing?” Barb asked, amused. “You didn’t even give him a hint.”</p>
<p>She sent a wicked grin his way. “They still have to earn me.” </p>
<p>He laughed all the way to the portal room. </p>
<p>——————-</p>
<p>The portal dropped Jen, Ajax, and all of her luggage just outside her front door. She dug in her front pocket of the key, while Ajax shifted into a very large German Shepherd. Finding her key, she unlocked and opened the door, and started tossing her bags in. </p>
<p>Everything now inside, she and Ajax walked in as well. She locked the door behind her, and decided that unpacking could wait. </p>
<p>Jen walked into the great room with its floor to ceiling windows and threw herself onto a couch and closed her eyes.  A chortling squeaking sound above her made her open her eyes. </p>
<p>A Little D with bunny ears was dancing along the back of the couch. When he was sure that she saw him, jumped up and folded away. </p>
<p><em>Guess I know who’s my first demon,</em> she thought. </p>
<p>—————</p>
<p>Mammon was currently in a meeting with Lucifer and Satan, and hating every minute of it. They were in the process of shifting the duties with the covens to Satan, and the more they talked, the more Mammon realized that he had actually fucked up. A lot. And for a long time.</p>
<p>“So witches actually <em>don’t</em> hold meetings in the nude, is what yer sayin’?” he asked Satan, incredulously.</p>
<p>While Lucifer covered his face with his palms, Satan patiently explained that, while certain rituals they did required them to be bare, standard diplomatic meetings and every day stuff, they were fully dressed.</p>
<p>“I knew we should have removed you from their reach after that other coven was destroyed,” growled Lucifer. Mammon shuddered at the reminder, and Satan patted him on the shoulder to comfort him.</p>
<p>“This has all worked in our favor, actually,” Satan mused. “With Mammon’s naivety, the other covens realized that it wasn’t him that took that coven out, since he let so many other things fly. They won’t be expecting treachery from us.” His look became dark. “They WILL answer to the disrespect, though. That can’t be allowed to stand.”</p>
<p>Lucifer nodded. “Of course. I would expect nothing else.” He leaned back in his chair, thoughtfully. “Mammon, does your Favor extend outside of a pact?”</p>
<p>Mammon shook his head. “Nah, I need the pact to channel the Favor. I bet a whole lot of covens are goin’ broke right now.” He hoped so, actually. </p>
<p>Satan hummed under his breath. “So they’ll be desperate, and they will be attempting to find another demon’s favor.” He grinned, suddenly. “I suspect that you never told them that you were the Avatar of Greed, correct?”</p>
<p>Mammon slowly smiled, Lucifer not far behind him. “Nope. They’re gonna to be casting a wide net to find another demon to bind. They’ll be desperate.”</p>
<p>Lucifer took out a pen and started writing out a report. “I’m going to advise the king that we leave the covens alone for a century or two, let them sweat it out. That will also flush any minor demons with delusions of grandeur out into the open.” Mammon and Satan nodded, neither of them all that keen to deal with the witches for a while.</p>
<p>An air pressure pop alerted them to the arrival of a Little D. Number Two started dancing around Lucifer’s desk, rabbit ears still firmly on his head. A dark aura started coming over Lucifer. “MAAAMMMMOOOONNNNN, why can you not discipline or train your familiars?” he growled, trying to protect his paperwork from dancing sprite feet.</p>
<p>“OI! NUMBER TWO! GET OVER HERE!” Mammon dove for the Little D, as it danced across the top of Lucifer’s desk, knocking over an ink pot. Lucifer turned a weird shade of purple, and Mammon jumped on top of the desk to grab Two, who was now dancing on a light fixture. Satan simply sat back and laughed heartily.</p>
<p>“Is he <em>taunting</em> you?!” Satan laughed. Sure enough, Number Two was chortling and chattering the equivalent of “I know something you don’t know!” as he swung from light fixture to light fixture, Mammon hot on his heels. </p>
<p>Eventually, Number Two ended up at the door of the office, and Mammon chased him outside. Satan closed the door after them, and returned to his seat, enjoying Lucifer’s rage. “He’ll never change, you know,” he said.</p>
<p>Lucifer pinched the bridge of his nose. “I know.” He gave a wan smile. “Not that I want him to.”</p>
<p>--------------</p>
<p>Hearing the door close behind him, Mammon and Number Two stopped running.</p>
<p>“Thanks for gettin’ me out of there, Two,” he grinned, putting his hands in his pockets. “So what d’ya got?” He had stationed Two in Jen’s human realm home when he found out that she had zero magical protections on the place.</p>
<p>Two chattered at Mammon, and he kept nodding. “Ok, got it,” he said. “Head on back and keep an eye on the place. Come get me if there's any problems.” Two spun in a circle and folded in on himself, disappearing. </p>
<p>Mammon whistled and walked down the hallway, hands still in his pockets.</p>
<p>It felt good to help out their girl.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Enter Mammon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I know I said that I'd update on Mondays, but it turns out I like to write faster than that with shorter chapters. So now I am changing my promise update promise to "Updates at LEAST once a week".</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A week has passed since Jen left the realm, and Diavolo can’t remember when he had this much fun.</p>
<p>Much to Barbatos’s disgust, he had the Brothers’ devices blocked from contacting Jen’s. </p>
<p>He told his dad about the bet (already breaking a rule), and his father thought it was <em>HILARIOUS</em>. </p>
<p>He didn’t do anything in the beginning of the week, because it wasn’t unusual for Jen to disappear days at time. Then, mid-week, he ran into Beelzebub during a troop inspection. “Oh, I meant to ask you,” he said to Beel, “can you please let me know when Jen checks back in? She’s a little late.” And at Beel’s concerned face, he clapped his hand on his shoulder. “Nothing to worry about, I assure you!” he said jovially. He then walked away without another word.</p>
<p>Reggath, who didn’t care who won the bet, since it would be fun for him either way, took a different approach.</p>
<p>Lucifer was sitting at his desk in his study late a night, trying to work his way through the backlog of paperwork. His D.D.D. rang, showing an unknown number. Feeling salty, he decided to do what he never did, and answered it. He figured that he could make someone else’s life miserable tonight.</p>
<p>“What?!” he snarled into his device.</p>
<p>“Listen, fuckwad, I might not be the fucking king anymore, but you will address me with respect, got it, asshole?!” Reggath sounded angry, but his face was gleeful. Michael passed by on his way to the kitchen and kissed the top of his head. </p>
<p>“My apologies, sir,” Lucifer’s voice was anything but apologetic. “How may I assist you?”</p>
<p>“My girl hasn’t checked in.” Reggath suppressed a snicker. They had actually just chatted earlier in the day, and Jen threatened him if he tried to interfere. He told her that he wasn’t her bitch, and it would be pretty hard for her to kick his ass when she was stuck topside.</p>
<p>It was a good conversation.</p>
<p>“...and what does that have to do with me?” Lucifer asked. Reggath couldn’t figure out who he thought he was fooling. There was definite concern in his voice. Michael returned from the kitchen and settled himself along Reggath’s side on the couch.</p>
<p>“I need you to look for her discreetly. Not even your brothers can know. It could mean the fate of the Devildom.” He was starting to lose track of the conversation, as Michael was placing itty bitty kisses along his jawline.</p>
<p>“I can do that,” Lucifer agreed. “Is this your normal phone number?”</p>
<p>“MmmmmmHmmmmmm,” Reggath replied, as Michael started sucking at his throat. “I need daily updates. Text is fine.” He hung up without saying goodbye and pounced on Michael.</p>
<p>___________</p>
<p>It wasn’t for several more days before Diavolo realized that Mammon actually knew exactly where Jen was. Realizing that his game was at risk of ending prematurely, he called Mammon into a meeting. </p>
<p>“Mammon,” greeted the new king as the Brother entered the room. “Have a seat.” </p>
<p>Mammon sat in the chair indicated. “What’s up?” he asked nervously. It wasn’t often he was called in solo like this.</p>
<p>Diavolo grinned. “I have a super secret assignment for you,” he said. He leaned back in his chair. “I need you to go to Jen, and watch her back.” </p>
<p>Mammon leaned forward in his seat. “What kind of trouble’s she in?” he asked, curiously. He had silently been keeping tabs on her through Number Two, and unless laying on a deck chair and reading all of the sudden became dangerous, she seemed fine.</p>
<p>“She may have bitten off more than she can chew,” Diavolo replied. “She’ll brief you when you arrive. You won’t have communication capabilities once you’re there, so tell your brothers that you’ll be gone somewhere on my orders, but don’t tell them where.” He leaned forward. “That is critical. Do not tell them where you are, or even that you’re with Jen.”</p>
<p>No communication, huh? <em>That explains why she hasn’t texted me back,</em> Mammon thought. “When should I leave?” he asked. He had a go-bag in the palace, he’d just grab that on his way out.</p>
<p>“Barbatos is sending her a supply shipment this afternoon. Be ready to hitch a ride.”</p>
<p>Mammon was already stepping into the portal before he realized that Diavolo never told him where exactly Jen was. </p>
<p>-------------------</p>
<p>Jen stretched out on her lounge chair on her deck. For once, she had managed to land a stay in the human realm that coincided with high summer, and she was taking full advantage. Decked out in a bikini that had delusions of grandeur of being an actual useful swimsuit (a gift from Asmo, of course), a beer in one hand, and an e-reader in the other, she soaked up the warm sun like a lizard in the desert.</p>
<p>She had a supply order scheduled to arrive from the Devildom any minute, but that didn’t need her supervision. Number Two had become surprisingly helpful this past week, taking over everything that could remotely be considered a chore. Thanks to his help, she was actually able to relax completely for the first time in years.</p>
<p>Ajax was back in hell, recharging. It wasn’t all that great for the hellhound to spend too much time in the human realm, so she sent him back to his birth pack for a bit. She suspected that she’d be a grandparent to several ugly hellhound puppies in a few months.</p>
<p>Jen took a sip of her beer, and set it down on the little table next to her chaise. She lowered her sunglasses to cover her eyes, and snuggled back into the chair’s cushion. This was the perfect atmosphere for a nap.</p>
<p>Mammon squinted his eyes against the portal’s bright flash of light, as it deposited him and a full load of goods into what looked like a very large kitchen. Chattering met him as he appeared, as Number Two came forward to take charge of all the goods. “Hey, Two. Where’s Jen?” he asked, anxious to check in with her and find out just how over her head she was. </p>
<p>Two danced at him, and Mammon nodded, tossing his bag over his shoulder and holding by the strap. “I’ll go see her, you got all this?” The supplies seemed like an awful lot for just one person, but Barb usually knows what he’s doing. Two chortled and made shooing motions with his hands. </p>
<p>Mammon shrugged. Still carrying his bag over his shoulder, he cautiously made his way out of the huge kitchen and found himself in a giant great room with floor to ceiling windows with a great view of the ocean peeking through the trees. Continuing further into the room, he saw the door to the wrap around deck. </p>
<p>He walked slowly through the door, scanning the deck for Jen. He walked onto the wide deck, intent on the seating arrangement at the far side of the deck. Suddenly, he stopped short and dropped his bag. </p>
<p>In front of him, laid a <em>goddess</em>. </p>
<p>Jen moving and active was like an athlete at their peak, all muscles and intent. </p>
<p>Jen relaxing was sex personified, all softness, curves, and invitation.</p>
<p>Mammon felt his mouth dry, his heart raced, and his pants became entirely too tight. </p>
<p>Remembering that Diavolo said she was in some sort of trouble, Mammon fought to control himself. He cleared his throat loudly to get her attention. </p>
<p>Jen came out of her doze, slowly realizing that someone was standing close by. She sat up and stretched her arms up to the sky, smirking at the smothered curse beside her. She slowly swung her legs around to the ground, and finally raised her eyes to the man beside her. “Hey, Mammon. What brings you to my humble abode?”</p>
<p>Mammon deadpanned at her. “Diavolo sent me, said ya got in over yer head?” He did not expect her reaction. </p>
<p>She stood quickly (almost losing the bottom half of her bikini, Mammon noticed), and stomped over to a shelf built into the railing. Grabbing her D.D.D., she was talking to herself. “That son of a BITCH!” She quickly tapped out a text, and stood impatiently, tapping her foot. </p>
<p>
  <strong>Jen: ‘in over my head’?!</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Jen: Are you TRYING to lose? Why send him?!</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Dia: Have to be willing to sacrifice a pawn if you want to win!</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Dia: Why are you bitching? I can’t wait until you can’t bitch about something. </strong>
</p>
<p>She gave an exaggerated sigh and tossed her device back on the shelf. She walked over to Mammon and slid her arms around him and held him tight. </p>
<p>Mammon, still in shellshock, looked down at her and wrapped his arms around her in return. “Hey,” he said softly. “What’s goin’ on here, baby?”</p>
<p>She softly snorted into his chest, and sighed. “I made a bet with Dia.”</p>
<p>He softened and held her tighter. “Can ya tell me about it?”</p>
<p>She nodded into his chest, and pulled back to look into his face. “Let me get changed, and we’ll catch up.” She started pulling away, and Mammon growled and held her tighter. </p>
<p>“Nah, baby,” he growled at her. “I like this.” He ran a hand along her bare waist, reveling in the shiver he felt run down her body. He swooped down, scooped her into his arms and carried her to a deck chair. He sat down and arranged her onto his lap. He pulled her close, encouraging her to lay her head on his chest. </p>
<p>She sighed, relaxing into his hold. </p>
<p>“Is this ok?” he asked softly, nuzzling her head. </p>
<p>“Yes. This is nice,” she answered, loving how his chest felt under her head. They sat like that for a while, simply enjoying each other’s presence. </p>
<p>It was Mammon who broke the silence. “Ok, baby, what are you two up to?” He ran a hand up and down her back. </p>
<p>Jen was glad he couldn’t see her face, because she broke out in a giant blush. “I told him that I was taking a month-long vacation. He said ok, then he started joking around about how long it would take for all of you to join me.” Her fingers played with his t-shirt. “So we made a bet, with some pretty tight rules.” She grumbled. “Which he already broke when he told his dad.”</p>
<p>Mammon started chuckling. As the Avatar of Greed, he could appreciate a good bet. “How long did ya say?”</p>
<p>“Three months. He says six. Barbatos says it won’t go longer than that.” She shifted so she could look at his face. “One of the rules is that we can’t tell anyone where I am. They have to figure it out on their own.”</p>
<p>Mammon grinned widely. “That explains why he sent me. I knew where ya were from the start.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead. She smiled back. </p>
<p>“So I have ya to myself for a little bit,” Mammon mused. He ran a finger down her arm, feeling her shiver. “What are the stakes?” he asked, tracing a line from freckle to freckle. He watched her bloom into a full-bodied blush. </p>
<p>“I’d rather not say right now,” she said, hiding her face in his chest. He let out a low chuckle. </p>
<p>“I guess I’ll just have to work it out of ya,” he murmured, and her heart started pounding.</p>
<p>He leaned against the chair back, holding her tightly against him with one arm. He continued tracing his finger lightly over her exposed skin. He kissed the top of her head. “You need to tell me when it gets too much, baby.” His voice had lowered, and the sound of it made her skin flare into goosebumps. He chuckled, and continued his light touch. “I need you to tell me, baby.” His hand drifted down her hip. </p>
<p>She shivered, and his hand drifted to her backside, running a finger just under the bottom hem of her bikini. “Hey, darlin’, I don’t hear anything from ya,” he whispered. “Should I stop?” His hand roamed up the string on her hip. “Should we try again later?” He nuzzled her ear, and she let out a surprised gasp when he nipped it softly. </p>
<p>He stopped touching her and brought his hand up to her chin. He tipped her head back and made her look into his eyes. “I mean it, baby. I will stop right now unless ya tell me you’re ok with this.” He had never seen anything as beautiful as she was right this moment, pupils blown and her mouth slightly parted, as she panted in anticipation.</p>
<p>She took a second to gather her last functioning brain cells. “You haven’t even kissed me yet.” Her sass came flooding back to her. She pushed him back, swinging a leg over to straddle him. She held his shoulders against the chair, and leaned down over him. “That seems like something you should have remembered to do.” She felt Mammon get hard instantly under her bottom. </p>
<p>Holding eye contact with him, she slowly and deliberately ground her core onto him. </p>
<p>“Fuck, baby,” he panted. </p>
<p>“It seems to me,” she continued, “that maybe you forgot that a girl sometimes needs a kiss or two, before you get to play with the fun stuff.” She hadn’t thought it’d be possible for him to get any harder, but the evidence was there beneath her. She gave a shallower wiggle this time, and he bit back another curse. </p>
<p>“As a matter of fact, Mammon,” she let go of one of his shoulders and grabbed the back of his head by the hair, and pulled his head back. “You have <em>never once,</em> kissed me on my mouth, <em>ever</em>.” She bent and ran her tongue up his throat, from collarbone to his chin. He whimpered. </p>
<p>She swung her leg over, standing abruptly. “Seems to me I am owed some woo’ing from you, Lord Mammon.” She turned and walked away from him. She grinned at the groan he let out when she bent over to pick up his bag. She swung it over her shoulder, then glanced back at him.</p>
<p>He was a glorious mess. </p>
<p>“I’m going to put this in the bedroom, and then I think I’ll figure out something for dinner,” she told him. Then she walked inside.</p>
<p>Mammon sat panting on the chair, trying to get a hold of himself. She was absolutely perfect for him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Oh Mammon, my sub boy who thinks he's a switch</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Hexed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Oh, hell, let's just bump up the rating and start off today with a little smut.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mammon wandered back inside the house, lost in thought. Jen was completely correct. </p>
<p>He had never kissed her. At least not on the mouth. </p>
<p>He had no idea how he managed to skip that part.</p>
<p>He blew out a breath in frustration. <em>Well, I can’t go do it NOW,</em> he thought, <em>she’ll feel like it’s only because she said something, and not because I want to.</em> He rumpled his hands in his hair and started pacing the great room. </p>
<p>“Mammon?” Jen called down from upstairs. “Come up here for a sec, please.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, sure thing!” he called, and climbed the stairs, following her voice. </p>
<p>He entered into a giant bedroom with the biggest bed he’s ever seen. His jaw dropped at the sight of it. Jen shook her head and laughed at his reaction. </p>
<p>“Dia had it made and sent here about a week ago,” she explained. “He said he thought it up all on his own, but Lucifer told me he was going to have one made for the House of Lamentation.” She chuckled. “I bet Dia stole it from him.” She motioned for Mammon to join her by a door. </p>
<p>“I wanted to show you where you can put your stuff away,” she said, opening the door to the huge walk-in closet. </p>
<p>Mammon gaped at the sight before him. The closet was actually an entire room, shelves and rails lined the walls, and a giant island of drawers took up the middle of the room. The Avatar of Greed took a quick accounting of the worth of the property and house, and came up with an astronomical number. </p>
<p>“Fuck, baby, you’re rich!” he exclaimed. This closet alone, even as empty as it stands, cost the price of a small house to build. “Diavolo pays ya way more than me!”</p>
<p>Jen laughed, “I promise you, it’s mostly investments.” She had her back to Mammon as she was placing his bag on the island, so she didn’t see the gleam in his eye. “I have a system where every time I get a lump sum from something, like Dia gave me Mephisto’s liquid assets, I pick a company that’s on the verge of something big, and I find a way to join their first round of funding.” She was puttering around the room, shifting some of her stuff to a corner of the room. </p>
<p>Mammon’s eyes were really starting to glow. “I have a spreadsheet of companies that I keep an eye on, so I’m ready as soon as I have the ready cash,” she continued. He was quietly pacing behind her now. </p>
<p>She turned around. “I’ll show you my portfolio sometime and you can see how I diversify my investments for a steady income stream.” Mammon flashed into his demon form and backed her against the island. </p>
<p>She raised an eyebrow at him, mildly surprised. She’s never seen him lose control like this. Out of the Brothers, Mammon was the one least likely to accidentally transform. “Is this a good time to tell you that I set myself up as the sole beneficiary of a living trust?”</p>
<p>He growled and closed the space between them, slamming his mouth to hers. She responded eagerly, opening her mouth when his tongue flicked at her lips. He groaned when she sucked lightly at his tongue, and she moaned when he nipped at her lip. </p>
<p>He lifted her up and sat her on the island, and stood between her knees. Her head was slightly above his now, and she used her hands to tilt his face up to hers. She kissed him deeply, then left his mouth to pepper little kisses along his jaw. </p>
<p>She slid her hands up to his horns, and tugged on them, pulling a moan from him. “Fuuuuuuuck, baby,” he groaned. </p>
<p>She worked her mouth over to his ear, and ran her tongue along the edge. “Hmmmmm, I think I need another kiss, my Mammon,” she purred. He tried to turn his head to meet her mouth, but her firm grip on his horns stopped him. “No, not there.”</p>
<p>A thrill flashed through Mammon, as he caught on to her meaning. “Can I take this off, baby?” he asked, toying with the ties on her bikini bottom. </p>
<p>“What do you say?” she purred into his ear, hands still firmly on his horns. </p>
<p>Mammon became impossibly hard. “<em>Please,</em> my treasure, let me kiss you.”</p>
<p>“Good boy,” she hummed in his ear, and he moaned at the sound. “You can give me your kiss,” she granted. </p>
<p>He eagerly pulled at the ties holding her bikini bottoms on to her hips, letting the fabric fall to the side. She let go of his horns, and he immediately started kissing down her neck, nipping and licking at her pulse points. </p>
<p>He worked slowly down her body, cataloging every gasp and groan she made for later exploration. A nibble on her collarbone, a nuzzle in her cleavage, a stroke of her waist, all collected and hoarded by the Avatar of Greed. </p>
<p>He pulled her hips closer to the edge of the island, and spread her legs wider. He thought he knew what real treasure was before, but nothing prepared him for the prize that lay open before him. A hand grabbed his horn, and reminded him that he had a task to do. </p>
<p>He leaned in, placing little kisses on her inner thigh on his way to where his treasure needed his kiss. She was dripping wet, and he felt his Greed spike when he realized that it was all for him. He dove right in, and was rewarded with her groan and both hands squeezing his horns. </p>
<p>Jen was a panting mess, Mammon attacked her clit with his tongue like the fast warrior he was. She could only hold on to his horns as he systematically took her apart, lick by lick. She could feel the coil tightening tighter and tighter, and she started grinding into Mammon’s face to chase the orgasm. “Oh fuck, Mammon!” she gasped. “I’m so close!” </p>
<p>He moaned into her, sending the vibrations straight to her clit. “Fuck!” she gasped. Everything coiled impossibility tighter. He started fucking her with his tongue, and the coil snapped.</p>
<p>She groaned loudly as pleasure coursed throughout her body, and Mammon continued fucking her with his tongue, extending her release as she ground her pussy into his face. </p>
<p>When everything calmed down to just little aftershocks, she tugged on his horns to bring him back up to her face. She kissed him deeply, tasting herself on him. “That was a hell of a first kiss,” she praised, and he grinned at her. She glanced down, and saw he was almost busting out of his leather pants. “I definitely think you’ve been a good boy,” she purred. She pushed him away lightly, and hopped off the island, removing the top half of her bikini at the same time. </p>
<p>She stepped up to him, pressing herself along his body, and kissed his collarbone. </p>
<p>“Let’s go break in that bed.”</p>
<p>————-</p>
<p>For the first time in his life, Satan was getting sick of books. </p>
<p>He had been hip-deep in the Archives for almost a full week, at Diavolo’s request, reviewing all of the files of all of the exchange students, and cross-referencing any magical abilities they may have all had. For who knows what the fuck reason.</p>
<p>He knew goddamn well that Jen had this archive cross-referenced and logged to the nth degree, but somehow, someone lost the goddamn record. Satan didn’t blame Jen at all, well, after the first day at least. Her record keeping was meticulous, and her notes were immaculate. </p>
<p>She apparently knew these kids better than they knew themselves, her observations so clear and descriptive, Satan found himself actually remembering details about a few of them. He still wasn’t impressed by most of them, but he remembered them.</p>
<p>And to his utter embarrassment, Jen had a section in each person’s file about “Personal Relationships”, and damn if she didn’t document who each human had sex with. As sort of a side slash curiosity project, he decided to keep a tally of who had sex with the most exchange students. Mammon, Asmo, and Beel were all neck and neck (although Beel, according to the notes, was mostly satisfying an <em>oral fixation</em>), with Leviathan making a surprisingly good showing. Then himself, then occasionally Belphie, and never Lucifer. That surprised him quite a bit.</p>
<p>Wanting to be thorough, he made sure to tally every partner, even if they weren’t the Brothers. After deciding that Solomon was a bigger slut than Asmo ever was, he continued down the list. He frowned, as a pattern started to show itself. </p>
<p>All of the executed or killed students had sex with visiting witch dignitaries. </p>
<p>Alarm bells started ringing in Satan’s head, and he decided to ignore Diavolo’s original request and started unraveling this thread. He made note of the 15 students that died in the Devildom and set that aside. He focused on the thirty-five other students and Jen’s notes about their lives after they left RAD.</p>
<p>He sent his Little Ds out for food, Archive policy bedamned. He was going to be here for a long time.</p>
<p>-------------------</p>
<p>“Are you absolutely <em>certain</em> she didn’t take a portal?” Lucifer asked the port portal agent, holding on to the last of his patience. He found the port to be an overwhelming offense to his sensibilities, but according to a couple of palace servants, this was Jen’s last known location. </p>
<p>The agent sighed, and arranged her features to a more neutral expression. This was her boss’s boss’s boss afterall. </p>
<p>“No, she did not take a portal, I don’t have room for passengers for weeks.” She gestured around her. “We are overwhelmed with imports right now, and I can’t spare the energy for export.” She gulped at his stony expression. “She went to the customs manager’s office after she checked with me, if that helps?”</p>
<p>“It does. Your information has been most helpful,” he said, stiffly. He bowed slightly, and turned and walked away, back straight as a board. </p>
<p>He had no idea where that office was, so he was just going to walk around like he was investigating everything. </p>
<p>His wanderings were eventually interrupted by a happy voice hailing him. He turned to greet the new arrival. </p>
<p>“Luci! Hi!” Simeon smiled happily at him. “I’m surprised to see you here!” He fell into step beside Lucifer. </p>
<p>“<em>Please</em> don’t call me that, Simeon,” Lucifer sighed. “I’m currently searching through this rat warren for the customs manager office.” He had noticed there were a lot of high end human goods clogging the port, and while he was worried about Jen, these goods were concerning as well. A meeting with customs was necessary. </p>
<p>Lucifer thought he saw an odd look cross over Simeon’s face for a moment, like a cross of laughter and sympathy. But it disappeared as quickly as he saw it, so he chalked it up as a trick of the light. </p>
<p>“How long have you been wandering around?” Simeon asked, weaving effortlessly around a stack of pallets.</p>
<p>Lucifer thought for a moment. “An hour? Two?” </p>
<p>Simeon burst into merry laughter. “Come on, Luci,” he said, taking pity on his friend. “I’ll take you to the office.” Simeon led the way, a smirk playing around the corners of his mouth. </p>
<p>Lucifer marveled at the way Simeon confidently moved around the port, leading him unerringly to the wall that held the offices. “How do you know this place so well?” he asked. </p>
<p>Simeon grinned as he knocked on the door labeled “Customs Manager”. “Michael sends me here quite a bit with messages,” he said, opening the door when a voice within beckoned. </p>
<p>Lucifer looked at Simeon curiously before walking in and observing the large red demon sitting at the makeshift desk. His quick intake of breath was the only signal of his shock. Simeon grinned, and invited himself to this meeting, closing the door behind him. </p>
<p>“What the fuck are you doing here?” growled Reggath. “Aren’t you supposed to be looking for someone?” Internally, he was dancing. This asshole was actually looking for Jen himself, which meant he really did care about her. </p>
<p>To his credit, Lucifer remained smooth. “Of course. However, in the process of that investigation, I noticed the abnormal amount of goods in the port. Why are they still here and not at their final destination? Or at some <em>other</em> warehouse?” As VP, he knew there had to be some grift at the customs level, and seeing that customs was basically the Devil Himself?</p>
<p><em>Of course</em> there was grift. </p>
<p>Reggath nodded. “I wondered if you noticed that.” He spun dangerously in his derelict chair, and grabbed a stack of bills of lading off a shelf. He spun back, lurching dangerously to the side, and handed the stack to Lucifer. “That House is refusing shipment, and refusing to pay the duties on it. Two more weeks, and all that out there gets forfeited to the crown.” Lucifer frowned as he flipped through the bills. </p>
<p>“Why not move them to a holding warehouse until then?” Lucifer asked. In his hands was approximately thirty-million Grimm in taxes. </p>
<p>Reggath hummed. “It’s not safe. Could you feel it? A lot of that shit’s hexed somehow.” He regarded Lucifer and Simeon soberly. “The port’s protection spells are keeping it from triggering. I don’t know what it does, but everything stays here until I can figure it out.”</p>
<p>“Would you like us to see if Solomon is available to do an assessment?” Simeon offered. </p>
<p>Reggath cocked his head. “You know what, that’s not a bad idea. This is human origin, he can catch stuff I can’t.”  Simeon bowed slightly and excused himself to find the sorcerer, closing the door behind him. </p>
<p>Reggath noticed Lucifer’s frown. “What do you think?” he asked the Avatar. </p>
<p>“I think that this may be an assassination attempt,” Lucifer remarked. “But I don’t know for who.”</p>
<p>Reggath grimaced. “I do. That’s why you need to find her, and when you do, STAY with her.”</p>
<p>Lucifer uncharacteristically ran his fingers through his hair. “Do you have even a small clue where she could be? All of my leads ended at you.” </p>
<p>Reggath sighed. “My son swore me to secrecy, and he is more powerful than I am these days. And I’m glad he did.” He leveled a glare at Lucifer. “It took everything I had to convince her to leave, and my son had to resort to even more than that to force her to go. She is safer where she is, and we’re not saying where she is in case of spies.”</p>
<p>“My brothers-”</p>
<p><em>”CANNOT KNOW,”</em> interrupted Reggath. “Those hotheads would be starting a war before we even know who our real enemy is.”</p>
<p>“Find her,” ordered Reggath. “Stay with her. <em>Protect her.</em>”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And end it with some trouble!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Brotherhood</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Simeon knocked on the door of Solomon’s guest suite at the Palace, sending up a little prayer that the sorcerer was alone. He felt a shiver of magic shimmer over him as Solomon tested his identity, and the door in front of him swung open. </p>
<p>“Simeon! So nice to see you again!” He ushered the angel through the door into his sitting room. “How is young Luke?” The sorcerer waited for Simeon to take a seat before sitting back in his chair. </p>
<p>“He’s well,” said Simeon. “He’s working with the kids today, so there was no dragging him away.” The two men smiled at the mental picture of Luke playing with angel babies. </p>
<p>“I’m surprised to find you alone, my friend,” Simeon teased. There were very little secrets between the former roommates, and the angel never turned down an opportunity to tease the sorcerer. </p>
<p>Solomon grinned. “I never bring anyone home. That’s how you catch feelings, you know.” He chuckled. “I mean, it’s how THEY catch feelings.” </p>
<p>Simeon raised an eyebrow at that. “That sounds alarmingly like compassion for another being, Solomon.” </p>
<p>Solomon pretended to gasp and clutched his chest. “I know you didn’t come here to <em>slander</em> me!” The two friends laughed for a few moments. </p>
<p>“What brings you to my humble temporary abode, Simeon?” Solomon finally asked. </p>
<p>Simeon sobered, and regarded Solomon with a serious look. “We need you to assess the goods at the port. They’re hexed, but they can’t tell what the hex will do.”</p>
<p>Solomon sat back and crossed his foot over his knee. “I will, but I have questions first.” At Simeon’s questioning look, he continued. “Why are YOU asking me? You’re an angel, and you are not part of the Council.”</p>
<p>Simeon smiled. “I ask because I AM an angel, and I don’t need to worry about hierarchy when something is the right thing to do.”</p>
<p>Solomon nodded. “And what did your angel senses tell you about these hexes?”</p>
<p>Simeon grimaced. “I couldn’t read them. Everything in that port smells like dark magic anyway, and I can’t tell the difference.” He shrugged. “Angels can’t help with this, I’m afraid.”</p>
<p>The sorcerer hummed to himself. “That tells me quite a bit. If we can rule out Celestial magic, that will cut down the work.” He stood abruptly, causing Simeon to stand as well. “I’m going to start on the prep work right now.” He ushered the angel to the door, the carefree wizard now replaced with a powerful and focused sorcerer. “I’m sorry for running you out, but the sooner I get this done, the better.”</p>
<p>“I can see myself out, Solomon,” Simeon said. “I’ll let the Council know that you’re working on it.” He closed the door behind him. </p>
<p>Solomon was already waving his hands and muttering incantations. </p>
<p>—————-</p>
<p>Belphegor was feeling restless, and that was an odd feeling for the Avatar of Sloth. He finally had a moment to get some decent sleep, and he had a feeling in his center that just wouldn’t settle down. </p>
<p>Which meant Beelzebub was bone-deep worrying over something. </p>
<p>Sighing, he hauled himself out of his nest of blankets, and went in search of his twin. </p>
<p>Belphie walked into the kitchen, running into Asmodeus and Leviathan. Asmo was painting Levi’s nails and bringing him up to date on the court intrigue. They both looked up as Belphie walked into the kitchen. </p>
<p>“You guys seen Beel anywhere?” Belphie yawned, and stumbled onto a stool next to the counter. He slapped his head down on the island. </p>
<p>Levi frowned at him. “What have you been up to? You’re drained like crazy.” He moved his hand away from Asmo and shook it to dry the polish. </p>
<p>“STOP STOP!” Asmo ordered firmly, grabbing Levi’s hands back. He muttered a quick cantrip to dry the polish, and released Levi’s hands. He looked sympathetically at Belphie. “Would it help you if I snuggled with you? It looks like you could use outside help today.”</p>
<p>Normally, Belphie would have waved away the offer, but he’s been going nonstop since he and Asmo broke those two demons at court a couple of weeks ago. “Yeah, that would help. Thanks.”</p>
<p>Levi and Asmo exchanged a look over Belphie’s lowered head. Belphie hardly ever accepted help without Beel forcing him. “Anything I can do?” ventured Levi. He didn’t have the stomach for interrogations, but he could handle an execution or five, if he could make it quick. </p>
<p>Belphie sighed. “Can you find out what the fuck is going on with Beel? He’s worrying over something like crazy, and I don’t have the energy to find him and fix it.”</p>
<p>“YES!” exclaimed Levi, excited that it had nothing to do with pulling out entrails. His brothers both looked at him in amusement, and he blushed. “I mean, yeah, it’s cool. It’s totally cool, I can totally do that.” He covered his face to hide his embarrassment. “Uh, any idea where he is?”</p>
<p>Belphie’s eyes were half shut, his cheek smooshed against the counter. “If he’s not in here, he’s at the gym.” His smirk was made hilarious by his smooshed face. </p>
<p>Ignoring Levi’s groan, Asmo stuck the now closed nail polish in his pocket. “Come on, my babiest brother, let’s get you snuggled in bed.” He bent down and threw Belphie’s arm over his shoulder and made him stand up. Both older brothers looked concerned when Belphie didn’t argue. </p>
<p>“Let me help,” Levi offered, grabbing Belphie’s other arm. Between the two older brothers, it was a matter of moments getting Belphie into Asmo’s bedroom and snuggled into bed. Asmo and Levi exchanged another look at the lack of bitching from their baby brother. </p>
<p>Asmo stripped to his underwear and spooned Belphie, and Levi covered them both with all of the blankets. Next to Belphie, Asmo had the most comfortable bed in the house, decadent in high thread-count sheets and pillows of the highest quality. Hopefully, Asmo could get him recharged overnight. </p>
<p>Levi excused himself to find Beel, turning the lights low on the way out. </p>
<p>Asmo smoothed back Belphie’s hair, sensing that his brother wasn’t asleep yet. “What have you been doing that’s drained you so much, Belphegor?” he asked softly, not really expecting an answer. </p>
<p>There was only silence for a few moments, but Belphie surprised him by answering. “They’re after her, Asmo. But I can’t tell WHO. No one knows. It’s no one I’ve talked to,” Asmo knew that meant interrogated, “but everyone knows that SOMEONE is after her, and I can’t tell who.” He shifted a little in the bed, burying his head into the pillow. He sighed. “She always has people after her, so I can’t tell if this is the same as always and I’m just taking it personally, or if it’s a new threat. Astroneth is an old threat, but is he going after Diavolo or Jen? No one knows.” He melted into Asmo’s arms, taking comfort from his brother. “I’ve been dreamwalking instead of sleeping,” he admitted. </p>
<p>Asmo held him tighter. Dreamwalking took an insane amount of energy to accomplish, and he knew Belphie was desperate if he was spying on dreams. Dreams were highly unreliable information sources, and Belphie usually avoided doing it at all costs. “Oh, Belphie,” he sighed. “If this is a new threat, we need you at full strength,” he chided. “Now sleep, my babiest brother. And I mean SLEEP.” He infused his words with just a teeniest bit of compulsion. </p>
<p>Belphie passed out almost immediately, and Asmo didn’t fight the hungry threads of sloth power that escaped his brother. </p>
<p>If Asmo sleeping helped his little brother, then Asmo was going to go to sleep. </p>
<p>—————</p>
<p>Despite his natural aversion to jock culture, Levi was a demon of his word. And that’s how he found himself entering every otaku’s ultimate nightmare. </p>
<p>The Gym. </p>
<p>Levi slouched into the gym, hoping to stay unnoticed until he found Beel. He walked quickly along the edge, trying to avoid the roaming bands of meatheads that haunt places like this. </p>
<p>Eventually, he started standing straighter, and walking more confidently. He felt the familiar surge of power, filling him to the brim, faster than he’s ever felt before. He hasn’t had this big of a hit of envy in centuries, not even when he found the single hidden Ultimate Weapon during a livestream of the world’s most popular MMORPG twenty years ago. </p>
<p>The gym was fucking awesome. Everyone was jealous of <em>everyone!</em> Levi fought the compulsion to take off his own shirt, to show off his swimmer’s body. Instinct led him into the deepest pocket of envy in the room, and he ran straight into Beelzebub. </p>
<p>Beel was an island of focus in a storm of jealousy, calmly lifting weights that most beings couldn’t even imagine, and with perfect form. Levi was almost drunk with power when he approached Beel, feeling how everyone was envious of the strong demon. He waited for Beel to finish his current set before speaking. </p>
<p>With a grunt, Beel placed the bar back in place. He lifted the bottom of his tank top to wipe the sweat off his face (causing a minor riot from the yoga corner), and turned to move to the bench. His eyes widened in shock when he saw Levi leaning against a rack, looking cockier than he’s ever seen him. </p>
<p>“Levi?” he asked, cautiously. </p>
<p>Levi smirked at him, and that’s when Beel noticed the glow of his eyes. </p>
<p>Levi was power drunk. </p>
<p>Beel quickly cleaned up his area, and grabbed his water bottle. “Come on, let’s get out of here,” he told Levi. “I’m starving.” He grabbed Levi’s arm and led him back to the entrance. Levi’s grin got larger, and he looked at Beel. </p>
<p>“The gym is fucking AWESOME. Man, why don’t I come here more often?!” He threw his arms open and spun around. </p>
<p>Beel sighed. He was going to have to humiliate Levi to bleed off some of his power so he could function. Without slowing his pace, he picked up Levi and threw him over his shoulder. He slowed his pace so that the succubus in the corner could take an obvious photo, and so that Levi could see her. </p>
<p>Levi, predictably, freaked out. “AHHHHH, PUT ME DOWN!! I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU WOULD DO THIS!!!!”</p>
<p>Beel ignored the fuss, but picked up his pace, and they were out of the gym in no time at all. He put Levi back on his feet. “Feel better?” he asked his older brother. </p>
<p>Still blushing, Levi nodded. “Thanks. I hate the gym.” </p>
<p>Beel smiled. “Did you need me?” He couldn’t imagine any other reason Levi would drag himself to the gym. </p>
<p>Levi put his hands in his pockets, and nodded. “We need to get you home. Belphie’s worried that you’re worried.” The two brothers turned and started the short walk back to the House of Lamentation. Levi and Beel chatted of inconsequential matters, following the family rule that serious topics be discussed behind closed doors. </p>
<p>Entering the house, Beel felt an empty ache in his soul, and groaned. Levi hurriedly shut the doors behind them, and pulled Beel into the kitchen. He pulled the entire snack drawer out the cabinet and placed it in front of Beel. Beel nodded his thanks, and attacked the food.</p>
<p>Levi perched on a stool. “Belphie’s drained himself.” At Beel’s shocked expression, Levi continued. “We’ve tucked him away in Asmo’s bed, and Asmo’s sleeping next to him.”</p>
<p>Beel looked distressed. “Why didn’t you call me?” He’s always helped Belphie before. </p>
<p>Levi’s face became stern, reminding his younger brother that he was a force to be reckoned with. “YOU are in no shape to help, Beelzebub,” he said, firmly. “Your distress was keeping Belphegor awake.” Beel’s face fell even further. Levi didn’t let up. “So what’s your problem?”</p>
<p>Beel pushed the snack drawer away, shocking Levi. It wasn’t even close to empty. “Jen hasn’t checked in.” </p>
<p>Levi narrowed his eyes. He hadn’t received any answers to his texts or calls, but he figured that it was because she was ashamed of him. But if she hasn’t contacted BEEL? That was a problem. “How late is she?”</p>
<p>Beel shrugged. “She checked out eighteen days ago. She didn’t answer any of my texts or calls, but I figured it was because she was busy. Then a week and a half ago, Diavolo asked if I had heard from her, because she was late.”</p>
<p>Levi thought frantically. That meant she WASN’T ashamed of him. And honestly, she had <em>always</em> answered him before. </p>
<p>“Have you checked her human realm place?” Levi asked. “She doesn’t have magic there. Her D.D.D. might not work there.”</p>
<p>Beel started. “She has a place topside?” At Levi’s nod, he started looking hopeful. “Have you been there?” He got a little confused at Levi’s smug blushy face, but he took that as a yes. “Can you go check on her?” he asked, hopefully. </p>
<p>Levi’s face fell. “I can’t, I have to set up an embargo tomorrow. We’re stopping all water trade routes with the human realm.” He wished he could go. </p>
<p>Beel hummed to himself, absently pulling the snack drawer back to him. “I wonder if Barb knows how to get there.” He started eating again. </p>
<p>Levi nodded. “I know he does, he picked us up via portal before.”</p>
<p>All of the food miraculously gone, Beel pushed himself back from the island. “Well, I guess I better go see a guy about a girl.”</p>
<p>—————</p>
<p>“So let me get this straight,” Jen asked. “He told you to stay with me, and didn’t give you a time to go back?”</p>
<p>Jen was curled up in the corner of one of her couches in the great room, and Mammon was lying along the couch, his head in her lap. </p>
<p>“Yup. Didn’t want me to leave ya alone.” His eyes were closed, and he was almost purring from her fingers running through his hair. He cracked one eye open. “What’s runnin’ through that head of yours, baby?” he asked, noticing her slight frown. </p>
<p>She gave herself a little shake. She gave him the gentle smile he was beginning to crave more than gold. “Nothing important,” she said, continuing to run her fingers through his hair. “I’m just having a problem turning my work brain off.” She bent down and gave him a gentle kiss on his nose. </p>
<p>He almost missed it when her expression changed to one of mischief. He braced himself. “What?” He asked. </p>
<p>Her smile got a little wider. “Oh, I was just wondering how good you’re going to be about sharing when the others get here.”</p>
<p>He narrowed his eyes at her. “What brought that up, baby?” </p>
<p>Jen toyed with his hair some more. “Oh, just that this week’s supply order is a little late.” At his dawning realization, her full grin broke out. “We’ve got incoming.”</p>
<p>He sat up, and shifted his body to face her. “Who?”</p>
<p>She shrugged. “I don’t know.” She glanced slyly at him. </p>
<p>“Wanna make a bet?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I love Asmo</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Loser</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Barbatos walked briskly down the hallway to the portal room, an assortment of Little Ds trailing behind him, carrying the mountain of supplies he was sending to Jen this week. He had seen Beelzebub’s timeline locking in place during his meditations this morning, and wanted to make sure there would be enough food to last until the next supply order.</p>
<p>He didn’t dare think of the other ways that the Avatar may satisfy his gluttony. Barb didn’t think that his heart could take it.</p>
<p>An unfamiliar sensation suddenly rocked through his core, almost bringing him to his knees. Alarmed, he looked around his immediate vicinity. The Little Ds continued onward, like nothing was wrong, like the world hadn’t just lurched sideways. He stood a little straighter, and turned his investigation inward. There, at his very core of his being, was a tug on his soul. </p>
<p>While he marveled at it, the tugging became increasingly insistent, almost a calling.</p>
<p><em>My stars!</em> thought Barb, <em>I’m being SUMMONED?!</em></p>
<p>It took him half a heartbeat to even remember who he had granted his pact to, it had been so long. </p>
<p><em>Solomon?!</em> Barb finally remembered, as the tug became increasingly stronger. </p>
<p>Unable to resist the pull anymore, Barb dropped everything and ran to the focal point of the call.</p>
<p>---------------</p>
<p>
  <em> Earlier in the day</em>
</p>
<p>Solomon flashed to the entrance to the port straight from his rooms, brimming with the contained power he had accessed. He cautiously sent out a few tendrils of power to test the wards on the massive building, and was cautiously optimistic about how strong they were. </p>
<p>He walked into the building, laughing to himself when he saw how the giant warehouse was constructed. Obviously, more than a few of the demons he used to build his ancient palace assisted in at least the design of this place. That series of parabolic arches that held the place up was proof of that.</p>
<p>Walking further into the heart of the chaotic warehouse, Solomon started to feel the pull of several hexes. Ignoring the weaker ones (he could read a syphilis hex in his sleep), he followed his intuition to a large stack of pallet-sized crates, where the call of the magic was strongest. </p>
<p>Cautiously approaching the stack of palletized goods, he read the unearthly aura surrounding the stack. There was definitely a sense of malevolence radiating from it. A quick glance at the labels on the crates identified them as household furnishings, and the size indicated beds of some type. </p>
<p>He walked slowly around the stack, inspecting it thoroughly for any identifiers. The hex seemed to be of witchly origin, but with an added twist of something else. It made him wary to dive in and examine it. Not knowing the origins of a hex could be deadly.</p>
<p>And he didn’t live this long to die from being stupid.</p>
<p>As he was circling the pile of crates, he was approached by one of the port workers. “Hey! What are you doing around there?” the lower caste demon shouted at him, brandishing a wooden board, menacingly. Solomon cursed himself for not checking in with the authorities before walking into the warehouse.</p>
<p>The demon ran up on him and swung, and Solomon ducked, barely in time. “I’m here on behalf of the Crown-” he started to explain, but the demon just kept advancing, backing Solomon into a hidden corner. </p>
<p>When they were both behind the pallets and hidden from view, the demon’s face turned malicious. Solomon became fairly alarmed. For the past thousand years or so, he’d only been dealing with the noble caste on his trips to hell between human identities. He had no idea how to handle this. He held his hands up, subtly calling the power within him to the surface. “Hey now, I’m here to check this stuff out for the Council, not cause any problems.” His back bumped against a crate.</p>
<p>“Oh, <em>I know</em> why you’re here, human,” hissed the demon, weapon still upraised. “In fact, I was <em>counting</em> on that.” The demon made a half-hearted swing at the sorcerer, trying to make Solomon flinch. </p>
<p>Confused, Solomon shook his head. “I don’t understand what you want?” he ventured. The demon surprised him by bending down and picking up something on the ground. “What are you-”</p>
<p>The demon flung the object at Solomon’s face, causing the sorcerer to retaliate with a burst of magic. The demon imploded from the impact of magic, disappearing into Oblivion. </p>
<p>Solomon did a quick evaluation of the scene, and realized that his magic had inadvertently collided and awakened the hex in the crates. He hoped like crazy that the suppression spells of the building could contain what he had accidentally unleashed.</p>
<p>“WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO?!” Boomed a large voice from behind him. He jumped and turned, only to see the former king of hell running to his side. </p>
<p>“No time!” yelled Solomon, “You need to evacuate!” The large red demon glared at him, and started ordering the evacuation while Solomon tried his damndest to figure out what exactly was going to happen next, hastily layering wards over wards around the crates. </p>
<p>The hexes in the major crates started activating, the wards making them appear as a slow-motion explosion. Solomon’s eyes widened as he was able to read the explosion’s signature, and began to frantically layer more and more protection spells around the surrounding goods.</p>
<p>He wasn’t going to be able to stop this explosion, but he could buy everyone the time to get out. </p>
<p>The explosion expanded, eating through his initial wards, and activating the minor hexes in the adjacent freight. He was walking backwards at this point, slowly and thoroughly adding containment spells all around him. He had a fleeting thought to tie his spells into the shields of the port, but he quickly realized that would weaken the last resort.</p>
<p>The chain reaction of hexes and spells were starting to activate too quickly for Solomon to contain, and he was really starting to regret not pushing Asmodeus to renew their pact. The thought of Asmo made him recall the Avatar’s recommendation to reconnect with Barbatos.</p>
<p><em>Well, now is as good as time any,</em> thought Solomon. He had to lose precious seconds as he untangled Barbatos’s pact from his others, and pulled on it. The explosion was getting closer now, and had started surrounding him. He kept walking backwards, now desperately flinging spells every direction to buy himself some space. </p>
<p>He didn’t see the door suddenly appear and open behind him.</p>
<p>Still frantically sending spells flying, he almost attacked the hands that grabbed him and pulled him through the glowing doorway.</p>
<p>----------</p>
<p>Beelzebub raced to the council chamber, his inspection of Jen’s topside place put on hold as all of the Devildom raced to combat the emergency at the port. He slid into his seat just as Diavolo and Lucifer came rushing in. Leviathan and Satan had already arrived. </p>
<p>“I know that Belphegor and Asmodeus can’t be here,” Diavolo said as he slid into position. “How long do you think it will take for Belphegor to fully recover?” he asked Beel.</p>
<p>“With Asmo feeding him, he should be up and running in a few more hours,” answered Beel. He could already feel Belphie’s strength through their bond. Diavolo nodded in acknowledgment. </p>
<p>“Barbatos is currently on the scene at Solomon’s request,” the demons all grimaced at that, “and we should have a full report shortly when they return.” He nodded at Lucifer, who took over the briefing.</p>
<p>“The custom’s office reports that the building was able to be evacuated fully, due to the fact they had only been keeping a skeleton crew once they realized the extent of the potential danger.” Lucifer sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. </p>
<p>“Why weren’t these things vetted on the human side of the portal?” asked Satan, angrily.</p>
<p>Lucifer shook his head. “We don’t know. The custom’s manager is going to review the records and see who ok’d the portal agents to transport them.” </p>
<p>“Let’s not beat around the bush, Lucifer,” ordered Diavolo. “If you mean my father, just say it.”</p>
<p>Satan sank back, deep in thought. The timing of this, combined with what he had discovered in the archives, seemed suspicious. “It pains me to say this,” he said, “but I’m glad Mammon is safely away from this.” Everyone in the room looked at Satan like his head was on fire. </p>
<p><em>”WHY?!”</em> exclaimed Levi. “If this is witch-caused, then we need his insight into this!” Levi had transformed as soon he got word of the port disaster, and his tail was slapping the ground incessantly in agitation.</p>
<p>Lucifer held his arms up for silence. “We don’t know for sure if this is purely witch-related. We’ll have more information once Barbatos and Solomon return. We just have to be patient.” His face told another story, though. He wanted immediate answers as much as they all did.</p>
<p>A glowing door suddenly appeared in the midst of the Council chamber, and they all focused their attention on it. It swung open, revealing Barbatos and a severely disheveled Solomon. Solomon stumbled through, almost collapsing on the floor. Barb followed with more elegance, shutting the door behind him. Once shut, the door disappeared from view.</p>
<p>Solomon stood shakily up on his feet, unsurprised to see himself standing in front of the Council. He tried to bow to the king, but lost his balance. Barb quickly supported him, and stood him upright. </p>
<p>“Tell me why you destroyed my main port, Sorcerer,” ordered Diavolo. “I understood that you were only there to evaluate the hexes, not activate them.”</p>
<p>Solomon told them everything that had happened, including the weird confrontation with the lower caste demon. Then he took a breath, and told them what he had discovered. The demons’ eyes widened in shock, and Diavolo frowned, losing himself in thought.</p>
<p>While everyone else was looking to Diavolo for direction, Solomon glanced at Barbatos, and became startled when he saw a wicked gleam start shining in his eyes. Barb looked at Solomon out of the corner of his eye and winked at the sorcerer, setting the human back on his heels.</p>
<p><em>What the fuck?</em> thought Solomon, mystified. </p>
<p>Diavolo sighed, and sunk back into his throne. He leaned forward, placing his head in his hands, and groaned. Confused, everyone in the room exchanged looks, trying to figure out what was going on in the king’s head. </p>
<p>A booming laugh started echoing through the chamber, followed by a large red demon with pointed ears. “Well, son? We both know you’re going to have to do this.” Reggath grinned, crossing his arms in front of him. Barb also had a wide grin growing on his face.</p>
<p>Lucifer, mystified by the undercurrents surrounding them, tried to salvage some of the situation. “Reggath, how fares the port?” he asked, politely.</p>
<p>“Oh, it’s toast!” came the strangely chipper reply. “The main wards kept everything in, though, so blowing everything up all at once was actually a smart plan.” He nodded at Solomon. “You’ll need to negotiate for more land from someone, though,” he grinned at his son. “That whole area is like a Superfund site right now.”</p>
<p>Diavolo sighed heavily, and lifted his head to glare in turn at his father and Barbatos. “I could have had eons of no bitching. It would have been <em>glorious</em>.” He stood, and aimed a finger at his father. “I want my <em>own room</em>.” Barbatos started to snicker into his hand.</p>
<p>Diavolo stepped down from his throne and addressed the brothers. “Due to what we have discovered, it pains me to say this,” he closed his eyes in frustration. “It is clear that you will need to work topside for this investigation.” The Brothers exchanged confused looks, it’s never been a big deal for them to go topside before.</p>
<p>“It is probably best,” Diavolo sighed, “that Jen’s home be your base for this.” Ignoring his father’s guffaws and Barb’s deep chuckles, he continued. “Leviathan, you know where, head there immediately. Your Brothers will bring your things.” Levi nodded and left.</p>
<p>“The rest of you, go back to the House of Lamentation and wait until Belphegor is fully recovered. We need to set up a permanent portal there anyway. Pack anything you’ll think you’ll need. Barbatos has supplies covered already.” The Brothers left, leaving Diavolo with his father, Barbatos, and a very confused Solomon.</p>
<p>“I will alert Jen and Mammon to the change in plans,” Barbatos offered, going quiet when Diavolo shook his head firmly. </p>
<p>“No. If I can’t win this bet, then I at least get the satisfaction knowing that I’ve ruined her vacation.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Dia is a typical big brother</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Enter Levi</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is a smutty chapter.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jen stood at the water’s edge, staring into the distance. Mammon was back at the house, working with Number Two, who was still wearing his bunny ears, to find out why the supply shipment had been delayed, and why exactly he had felt a giant power surge in the magical corona that separated the Human Realm from the Devildom. Jen would love to help, but she hadn’t a lick of magical ability, so she made herself scarce so he could concentrate.</p>
<p>Kicking her flip flops off, she bent down to grab them and chucked them up above the high tide line. She was going to regret that choice when she came out of the water and had to walk barefoot across the rocky beach to her shoes, but she also didn’t want them caught by the tide and pulled out to sea. </p>
<p>She took a deep breath and swung her arms back and forth across her chest, trying to pump herself up to enter the cold water. Even in high summer, the north Pacific Ocean never warmed up above 63°F, and she didn’t want her body to go into shock. She cautiously took a step into the water, wincing at the cold water lapping up her leg. Dressed in a much more practical two piece than her sunbathing set, she quickly waded in up to her waist.</p>
<p>Wanting to get the worst over with, she held her breath and dove into the water, kicking her feet to get momentum. She glided under the water, making sure that her whole body was submerged, eyes open to make sure she didn’t hit one of the submerged boulders that were common on this part of the coast. </p>
<p>In retrospect, she was pretty sure that she should have seen it coming. She had no idea why she didn’t. </p>
<p>Popping her head above the surface for a breath, she carefully swam parallel to the shore, making sure she didn’t go too far out. Using a strong crawl, she pushed herself to move faster through the water. Focused on her turn, she didn’t see the crest of water headed right for her.</p>
<p>At the bottom of her turn, when she was completely upside down and underwater, something slammed into her, grabbed her leg and started dragging her further out to sea. Head still submerged, she started to struggle, until she saw the end of a familiar tentacle in her periphery. She stopped her struggle, and concentrated on holding her breath. Almost as if in reward, another tentacle wrapped around her waist and brought her to the surface. She managed to control her gasp for air, breathing heavily, but under control. </p>
<p>The tentacle holding her leg let go, and she was comfortably supported by the one around her waist. With her head safely above water, she took the opportunity to look around for him. She had never seen his full demonic form, and she was curious to see if she could catch a glance through the water.</p>
<p>She peered into the water until she could barely see a set of giant glowing orange eyes looking back at her, deep below her. </p>
<p>As she watched, the eyes approached her, impossibly fast, changing shape as he approached the surface. As he rose, the tentacle around her waist let go, and she instinctively began treading water. A familiar face broke the surface, and strong arms wrapped around her. </p>
<p>“Hi Levi,” said Jen, with a smile. </p>
<p>He blushed, and pulled her in tighter, their legs tangling together. She raised her hand and smoothed his wet hair back from his forehead, her other arm wrapping around his shoulders. “I’m so happy to see you.” She leaned into him for a hug, and he sighed with happiness. “While I love being in your arms, Levi, you don’t always have to drag me out to sea to get me there,” she joked, pulling back so she could see his face. </p>
<p>He blushed a little brighter, but she didn’t miss the sly look in his eye. “The others are a couple of hours behind me, and I wanted you all to myself first,” he told her, leaning in to nuzzle her cheek with his. “And they can’t bother us in the water.” He loosened his arms a bit, sliding them down her back. </p>
<p>She narrowed her eyes at him, trying to ignore his hands, which were now cradling her ass. “Why are all of you coming here all at once, Leviathan?” She tried to be firm, but his tail had grabbed her leg and brought it up over his hip, and she was becoming distracted. She tried again, “Levi, what’s going on- ohhhhhhh…” Her breath left her as he bent to kiss down her collarbone. </p>
<p>He let out a purely masculine chuckle at her moan, pleased that he had managed to distract her. He continued giving her soft kisses across her chest, then up the side of her throat, working his way to her ear. “I’m not letting us get interrupted this time,” he breathed in her ear, as he ground his erection against her, using his tail to push her against him. </p>
<p>She gave up looking for answers, and wrapped her other leg around him as well. She turned her head and captured his mouth in a hungry kiss, sliding her tongue into his mouth. He responded in kind, running his tongue along hers, pulling back to suck on her lower lip. His hands started kneading her ass, keeping her pressed against him. She gasped as he managed to rub his hardened length against her clit. “Leviii,” she moaned, trying to grind against him, but finding herself frustrated fighting the water resistance. </p>
<p>“Shhhh,” he settled her, nipping at her mouth. “Relax, I’ll get you there,” he promised. He moved one of his arms, dragging it from her ass, up her hip, along her exposed side. He slid his hand up under her suit top and cupped her breast, sliding his thumb firmly over her hardened nipple, all the while deepening their kiss. </p>
<p>Jen moaned into his mouth, and he felt a surge of satisfaction. Emboldened by her excitement, he moved the hand on her ass to the waistband of her bikini bottoms. Between his hand and his tail, he worked them over her hips and ass, and removed them completely, thanking his lucky Ruri-Chan figures that she was too overcome with lust to complain about how he just let them drift away. </p>
<p>She wrapped her legs back around his waist, slowly impaling herself onto his cock. They both groaned at the sensation, but not breaking their kiss. He started slowly fucking into her, using the ebb and flow of the water to guide their pace. She threw her head back with a groan when he managed to hit a particularly sensitive spot. Levi used the opening to shove her top above her breasts and lowered his head to feast upon them. </p>
<p>Jen arched her back in pleasure, gasping. Levi hummed against her, causing another moan to tear from her mouth. She tried to increase the speed of his thrusts, but he stubbornly refused to move faster. He smiled against her chest, and she thought she saw a glimmer in his eye. </p>
<p>She felt his tail start to drift up her body, rubbing sensually along her skin. She was trembling, between his mouth and hand on her breasts, his other hand kneading her ass and holding her onto his dick, his soft thrusts into her core, the water lapping all around them, and now his tail running everywhere, she was almost high on sensation. </p>
<p>Then the tip of his tail started playing with her clit, and she damn near came out of the water. </p>
<p>“Oh FUCK, Levi!!!” she screamed, grabbing on to him, frantic for more friction. He brought his mouth back up to hers, and grabbed her ass with both hands, held her tight against him. Her pussy started to flutter against his cock, bringing out his own gasp. He increased the speed of his tail on her clit, holding back his own release, their kisses becoming more and more desperate. </p>
<p>At last, she broke with a groan, her grasping pussy pulling his orgasm from him. They grabbed each other tightly, riding the wave of their shared ecstasy. She grabbed his face in her hands, and gave him a lazy, deep kiss. She pulled back and smiled at him. </p>
<p>“Hi,” she said. </p>
<p>He blushed, and tried to duck his head to hide his blush. “Oh, no,” she teased. “You don’t get to be shy about that, Levi. That was better than fantastic.” She made her face stern. “Now what’s all this about everyone coming here?”</p>
<p>Levi sighed and started moving them back to shore, while she adjusted her top. She looked for her bottoms, realizing immediately that they were probably lost forever. “There was an incident at the Port,” he began, and told her the story while moving them to the beach. </p>
<p>They got to the shallows, and Levi moved to put her on her feet. “Oh no, you don’t!” she scolded. “I’m not wearing anything but a bikini top, and I’m not wearing shoes, and don’t think I didn’t notice that you managed to call your clothes back on.” He looked at her from beneath his drying bangs in amusement. </p>
<p>“Hold on,” he told her. He carried her out of the water, and set her carefully on her feet. He took a minute and shifted into his human form. He shrugged off his long jacket and helped her into it. She wrapped it around herself like a robe, and walked carefully over to where she had tossed her shoes, stepping into them. </p>
<p>Jen and Levi walked side by side up the trail to her house, chatting about nothing in particular. They reached the house, and let themselves in. </p>
<p>“I suppose I better change,” she sighed, as they climbed the stairs into the great room. He laughed.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I want my sweater back. I heard you normies like to hoard other people’s hoodies!” She laughed with him and led the way to the staircase leading to the bedroom. </p>
<p>“WHOA, you got a new bed!” Levi exclaimed as they entered the bedroom. “That thing’s huge!” </p>
<p>“Hey hey HEY!” A voice floated up from downstairs, and the two of them turned to the bedroom door in amusement. Soon, a breathless Mammon appeared in the doorway. “What the hell, man?! When did ya get here? What’s going on down there?” He took a breath and finally saw Jen, wrapped in Levi’s coat. </p>
<p>His eyes narrowed, and he looked at Levi. “Why is she wearing your coat?” Jen rolled her eyes and walked into the closet to get changed, shuttling the door behind her, leaving the two demons behind. </p>
<p>Levi cocked his head, curious about what he was feeling from Mammon. “You’re jealous about the coat, but not about us,” he blushed hard, “you know….”</p>
<p>Mammon grinned and walked over to Levi, slinging his arm around his neck. “I may be a greedy asshole, but not when it comes to sharing the best person to ever happen to us.” He pulled Levi into a headlock, and ruffled his hair. </p>
<p>Levi pushed Mammon off of him, grumbling. “Well, you’ll get to put that into practice in an hour or two. Everyone is coming here.”</p>
<p>Mammon narrowed his eyes. “Wait a sec.” He walked over to the closet, and knocked on the door. Hearing a muffled “Come in!”, he waved Levi over and pushed the door to the closet open. </p>
<p>“WOAH!” Levi exclaimed, seeing the room for the first time. Mammon grinned at his reaction. </p>
<p>Jen had just finished getting dressed and pointed Levi to his area of the closet, where she had placed his jacket. Mammon walked over to her and slid his arms around her. “Hey, I’m taking Levi downstairs so he can debrief me.” He nuzzled her hair. “You’re about to be overrun, why don’t ya stay up here and catch some alone time before the rest show up.” </p>
<p>She smiled and nodded. “I think I will.” She walked over to Levi and tugged him down so she could kiss him. He blushed, but didn’t pull away. She walked back to Mammon and gave him a kiss as well. He leaned down to whisper in her ear. </p>
<p>“I win.”</p>
<p>She pulled back, pretending to glare at him. He had picked Levi to show up next. He smirked, and walked past her, smacking her ass on his way past. She huffed at him, but there was a smile on her face. </p>
<p>Levi followed Mammon out of the closet, taking another look at the bed. He cocked his head, and called back to Jen, “Hey, how many other bedrooms are there?”</p>
<p>She was closing the closet door behind her as she left. She bit her lip, trying to hide a smile. “Um, none.”</p>
<p>Levi laughed hard, bending at the waist. “You mean to tell me that we get to live out the greatest of all fanfic tropes: There Was Only One Bed?!” He grabbed her in a giant hug and spun her around. “You are the best!” He tossed her on the bed, and he walked out of the room with Mammon, both demons laughing like crazy. </p>
<p>She smiled after both of them. Deciding that since she was already on the bed, she may as well take a nap. She crawled up the vast expanse of the bed and snuggled against the pillows. The events of the afternoon had really worn her out, so she was fast asleep in moments.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>After Prelude, I figured I owed Levi a favor.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Gathering</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Luke tried very hard not to bounce on his way to Michael’s office. The archangel summoned him <em>personally</em>, not as Simeon’s apprentice, but as Luke the Angel! On official Angel Business! The young angel tried to keep his Official Face on, but judging by the kind smiles on all of the grownup angels he passed in the hallway, he wasn’t doing all that well. </p>
<p>He reached Michael’s office and knocked politely, like Simeon had taught him to do. The door swung open immediately, and Luke hop-skipped his way inside. His step faltered as he saw who else was in the room, but he made sure to keep moving forward. </p>
<p>Besides Michael, who was sitting behind his large, imposing desk, the other archangels were there as well. Raphael, Saraqael, Raguel, Remiel, Samuel all had seats in the giant office. Luke started getting nervous, until he saw Uriel and Seren standing next to Michael’s desk. Seren dropped him a quick wink to let him know all was well, and he relaxed. </p>
<p>Luke approached Michael’s desk, and bobbed his head as a greeting. Michael smiled, lighting up the room. “Ah, Luke! Please have a seat.”</p>
<p>Shaking a little, Luke sat gingerly in the chair in front of Michael. “You wanted to see me, sir?” He asked, politely, trying very hard not to kick his legs. </p>
<p>Michael smiled kindly at him. “Happy Birthday.”</p>
<p>Luke’s eyes got wide, and he glanced around the room wildly. The archangels were all smiling, Eren the largest of them all. Angels didn’t celebrate birthdays except for certain milestones. </p>
<p>He was one thousand years old today. </p>
<p>That explained why all of the archangels were here, and Simeon was not. Today he was to have his Showing. He would find out his purpose, his skills, his Choir. </p>
<p>He would age today. </p>
<p>He used to dream of this day, when he was the only child in the Celestial Realm. The day when his fellow angels would see him as grown, and start to take him seriously. He stopped thinking about it once the new angels came on the scene. He had finally had company. </p>
<p>Luke turned his attention back to Michael, and waited. </p>
<p>Michael stood, and walked around his desk. “I promise you that this will not hurt, Luke. But it will feel strange.” He gestured around the room. “We’re all here to support you in this.” He knelt in front of Luke, taking the young angel’s hands in his own. “You are the most worldly young angel we’ve ever raised,” Michael said, softly. “You have a strong compassion for all beings, and an understanding of the universe that most angels never achieve. I have every faith that your Showing will prove most interesting.” Michael glanced around the room, nodding to the assembled archangels. </p>
<p>Uriel shifted to hold Seren in his arms, and whispered explanations in their ear. Seren tensed slightly, but nodded. Apparently, it would look worse from the outside than it felt on the inside. </p>
<p>Michael, satisfied that all were ready, gave Luke one last smile. He then leaned forward and kissed Luke in the center of his forehead, right above his nose. </p>
<p>That’s all Luke remembered before the light engulfed him. </p>
<p>—————-</p>
<p>Jen awoke slowly, the sunset streaming through the windows of the bedroom. She sat up, and lazily stretched her arms up to the ceiling. A quick glance around showed her that she was still alone, so she crawled off the gigantic bed and walked to the bathroom. </p>
<p>After she finished up, she opened the door to the bedroom and heard what could only be described as chaos coming from downstairs. Sighing, she padded down the stairs with bare feet, internally preparing to sooth several disagreements. </p>
<p>No one noticed when she walked into the room, so she took the opportunity to assess the battlefield before she waded into the fray. </p>
<p>Beel was in the kitchen, but he wasn’t eating, instead he was talking earnestly with an exasperated Belphie, who looked more awake than Jen had ever seen him in the past. </p>
<p>Satan was poking around her bookshelves, rearranging the books into an order that probably only he understood, and was grumbling at Levi, who was telling him to knock it off. </p>
<p>She could see Mammon and Lucifer out on the deck through the giant windows, and from what she could see, their conversation wasn’t pleasant. Lucifer looked like he was three seconds from transforming. </p>
<p>But who really concerned her was Asmodeus, who was looking wan and frail on one of the couches. Ignoring everyone else, Jen walked through the room and sat next to Asmo. She leaned over and tucked a strand of hair over his ear. “What’s wrong, Asmo?” she asked, quietly, trying not to attract the attention of his Brothers. </p>
<p>He smiled a tired smile at her, and held his arms open for a hug. She leaned further into him and gave him a giant hug. “Oh, I’m so happy to see you, my love,” he said quietly. He held her tighter, pulling her more toward him so she was half-lying along the couch. </p>
<p>“Belphegor found himself almost completely depleted, so I helped him repower,” he told her. “He needed quite a bit from me.” He sighed into her hair, loving her hug. </p>
<p>“Oh, Asmo,” she whispered. “Can I help?”</p>
<p>He chuckled, “You already are. Can’t you feel my Brothers’ eyes on that shapely derrière of yours? Those shorts stop just below your perfect ass cheeks, you know.” He tugged her into a position that popped her ass up a bit more, strengthening from the surge of lust that filled the room. He laughed again. “That should do it!” he sang.  </p>
<p>He whispered in her ear, “You better greet the rest of this rabble, I feel a riot brewing if you don’t.” He kissed her hair and released her from his hug. </p>
<p>She gave him a look as she pulled back from him, letting him know that his shenanigans weren’t going to be forgotten. She turned to the rest of the room, and noted that all eyes were on her. “Hey, guys,” she smiled. </p>
<p>Levi grinned at her, and walked out onto the deck to join Mammon and Lucifer. She walked over to Satan to greet him more personally, and to investigate the mess he had made of her shelves. </p>
<p>“Honestly, Jen, I know you know how to catalog, why are your books such a mess?” He smiled at her, though, letting her know he was mostly joking. </p>
<p>“I’m never here long enough enough to have an actual system,” she told him, reaching out for a hug. He held her like she was the most fragile thing on earth, like he was scared he was going to break her. “Hey, what’s going on?” she asked, softly. </p>
<p>“So much shit,” he said, pulling back and shaking his head. “I need to go over some things with you about the RAD program, and soon. But that can wait until you greet everyone.” He glared at Lucifer through the window. “But if you want to talk before you greet him, I’m fine with that, too.”</p>
<p>She smiled and patted his arm as she walked toward the twins. Beel didn’t give her a chance to say anything, just scooped her up into a giant hug and sat her on the kitchen counter and just held her. Belphie hopped up on the counter next to her and leaned into their hug. </p>
<p>“Uh, what’s wrong, guys?” Jen asked, confused. </p>
<p>“We didn’t know where you were,” answered Beel. “I knew you left, and then Diavolo said you were late coming back, and I was worried.” He buried himself tighter into her, and Belphie chimed in. </p>
<p>“I kept seeing assassins in everything, and I wore myself out trying to get answers.” He nuzzled both of them. “Why didn’t you answer our calls and texts?”</p>
<p>She blanked for a minute. “I never received any calls or texts from you guys.” Almost as if on cue, her D.D.D. she had left sitting on the kitchen counter earlier, started blowing up with notifications. Her eyes narrowed. <em>That cheating son of a bitch,</em> she thought. </p>
<p>She gently pushed the twins off of her, and hopped off of the counter. “I better go say hi to Lucifer. Help yourselves to everything,” she said, as she made her way across the great room and out onto the deck. </p>
<p>Lucifer stared directly into her eyes. “Leave us,” he ordered. Levi and Mammon started to object, but Jen shook her head. </p>
<p>“Guys, please.” She had enough dealings with the Avatar of Pride to know how this conversation was going to go. </p>
<p>Levi and Mammon grumbled at each other as they went inside, each giving her a hug and Lucifer a hard stare as they walked by her. </p>
<p>Lucifer opened his mouth to talk, and Jen raised her hand. “Not here. I don’t feel like becoming a tv show today.” He glanced at the window, and sure enough, all six of his brothers were watching them avidly. </p>
<p>“This way,” Jen led the way around the house to a stairway, and walked down. There was a small path that led off into the woods, and she minced her way along the gravel to their destination. </p>
<p>Lucifer shook his head in exasperation even as he followed. “Why do you never wear shoes?” he asked, looking around them with interest. He would have never known there was a giant house only feet away. It was like they were swallowed by the forest. </p>
<p>“First of all, I didn’t <em>expect</em> to come out here,” she said, approaching what looked like to be a small gazebo. “Second of all, I hate wearing shoes in my house.” She led the way around the small building, which turned out to be a small three sided shelter. The open wall faced a spectacular unrestricted view of the ocean, and the fading sunlight painted spectacular colors all over the surrounding forest. Inside the shelter was a small couch and a few outdoor trunks that doubled as end tables. “I come here to watch the sunset and read,” she explained, sitting on the couch. </p>
<p>He chose to stand in front of her, arms crossed. “What are you doing here?” he asked. </p>
<p>“Vacation,” she replied, evenly. </p>
<p>“Vacation,” he repeated flatly. She nodded. “Why didn’t you tell anyone where you were going?”</p>
<p>“Dia, Barb, and Reggath knew.” She shrugged. “Mammon knew.”</p>
<p>His eyelid started twitching in a way she was all too familiar with. “Did you not stop to think that WE would have liked to be informed of your location?” He was holding onto control by a thread. </p>
<p>She narrowed her eyes in a way he was all too familiar with. “Did you not stop and think that maybe <em>I</em> might need a minute to myself to process everything that happened to me in the past two months?” Her temper was starting to rise, he could feel her pride prick at him as she felt he was overstepping. </p>
<p>“Oh, I’m sorry, did you have a hard time for a couple of moments?” he asked, sarcastically. “Try SEVERAL millennia and see if a vacation would fix it!”</p>
<p>She flew out of her seat, her ire high. “Yeah, <em>old man,</em> I DID have a hard time. Do not ever begin to think you are allowed to mock my fucking feelings, you asshole!” She jammed a finger into his chest. “YOU do not get to do that!” </p>
<p>He caught her finger in his hands, and felt the flutter of her wounded pride. The fight flew out of him as quickly as it rose. He sighed. </p>
<p>“You’re right,” he admitted, raising her hand to his mouth and giving it a gentle kiss. “I’m sorry.” He smirked at her dumbfounded expression. “YOU are the only being in the universe that I’ll apologize to, so don’t expect me to extend it to anyone else.” He held her hand to his heart. “Can we sit and talk about what’s happened? Please?”</p>
<p>At her mute nod, he led her to the couch and sat them down, side by side. They sat silently for a while, staring at the fading light over the ocean. “Do any of the others know of this spot?” he asked, softly. At the shake of her head, he tightened his hand around hers. “Can we please keep this for just the two of us? You’re going to have many things and places that you share with only one of my brothers, but I would like this place, please.”</p>
<p>She nodded, and leaned against his arm, accepting his apology. “I’m sorry I didn’t contact you,” she said. </p>
<p>“Why didn’t you?” He said it with no accusation this time. </p>
<p>“Because of a stupid bet Dia and I made,” she sighed. “I was only going to be gone for a month, but he upped the stakes, and I couldn’t back down from the challenge.”</p>
<p>Lucifer smirked. “Your Pride is almost as bad as mine, my dear.” She snorted and told him the rules of the bet. <br/>“You won, you know.” She let out a small laugh. </p>
<p>“Yeah, I guess I did.” She let out a smug sigh. “He has to spend a week with his dad and Michael in a very small house,” she smugly told him. </p>
<p>He laughed out loud, surprising her. She liked his laugh. “That explains his reaction when he had to send us all here!” He chuckled. “What were you not going to bitch about? That’s all he could say, that he could have had a millenia with no bitching.” He stopped laughing when he felt her go still. “What? What is it?” She started squirming next to him. </p>
<p>She took a breath. “I couldn’t bitch about my first child with you all being made his heir.” He stiffened beside her, and she continued. “They’ll be made heir either way, but now I can bitch about it.”</p>
<p>Lucifer was floored. He had never even considered that he or his brothers would have children, let alone with a powerhouse like the woman next to him. He must have been quiet too long, because Jen tentatively asked him if he was ok.</p>
<p>He shook himself mentally, and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “I didn’t know that we were held in such high regard,” he told her. </p>
<p>She snorted. “He loves you, Lucifer. He loves all of you. And his dad loves me. It makes perfect sense, and it frees him up for what he really wants.” </p>
<p>“What’s that?”</p>
<p>“Barbatos.”</p>
<p>The two of them laughed, as the only two people in existence that knew of the longing and pining between the king and his advisor. </p>
<p>Lucifer felt Jen start to shiver with the cold that had creeped in with the night. “We should get back to the house,” he said. She nodded and stood up with him. He leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. “I meant my apology.” he said. </p>
<p>“I know,” she answered, raising her hand to trace his face in the dark. </p>
<p>“And whenever you want to start working on producing that heir, I assure you that I am UP to task.” He purred, pulling her into him to show her exactly what he meant. </p>
<p>She shoved his face back, laughing. “If we don’t get back soon, this will no longer be your private spot.” She picked her way through the dark, to the gravel path. </p>
<p>He sighed, and swept her into his arms to carry her. “You’re still not wearing shoes.” He nuzzled her jaw, “and I can wait until we’re alone in my bed.” He walked confidently through the dark forest. </p>
<p>She grinned, and whispered into his ear, which made him stand stock still. </p>
<p>“What do you mean ONLY ONE BED?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Transition Piece</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is a very boring, but needed, transitional chapter. It picks back up after this.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Thanks to her unexpected nap earlier in the day, Jen found herself wide awake in the early hours of the morning. Tired of trying to force herself to sleep, she scooted carefully off of the edge of the bed, making sure not to jiggle the pile of demons on her bed awake. She stood slowly, and walked silently out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.</p>
<p>Once free of the bedroom, she stretched her arms up to the ceiling until her back cracked, and gave a little shake. She walked down the stairs, and into the great room. The unexpected smell of fresh coffee greeted her, along with a groggy Avatar of Wrath. She smiled at him as he handed her a fresh cup, and accepted his kiss on her cheek. “Good morning,” she said, softly, keeping her voice down. “Couldn’t sleep?” she asked.</p>
<p>Satan shook his head and motioned her to follow him to a couch. “I love my Brothers,” he said, “I really do. But none of them are what I would consider <em>restful</em> sleepers.” He sat down and patted the seat next to him. She settled into his side, careful not to spill her coffee.”I don’t know how it happened, but one of them kicked me in the jaw, and I’m pretty sure it was Lucifer.” He placed his arm around her, pulling her in tighter. “How about you? I’m sure you don’t make a habit of getting up at three in the morning.”</p>
<p>She hummed in amusement. “I just couldn’t sleep anymore. My nap before you all got here screwed up my rhythm.” She took a sip of her coffee. “Thankfully, I was on the edge of the bed and could slip out without waking up the lot of them.” </p>
<p>They sat in silence for a while, drinking coffee and genuinely enjoying each other’s silent company, Satan occasionally leaning over and kissing the top of Jen’s head.</p>
<p>Once again, Satan was amazed by her. She knew, without him telling her, that quiet reflection was important for him. Most people, including almost all of his Brothers (Mammon being the odd exception), would try to fill this quiet alone time with small talk and chatter. Inane chit chat could be one of the triggers for his Wrath manifestation, so he tried very hard to work quiet moments into his days. Jen just waited for him to be the one to break the silence. </p>
<p>He smiled down at her, watching her stare off into space, a content look on her face, comfortable in her adorable pajama set. He started idly tracing his fingers along her arm, and she twisted slightly in his embrace to smile up at him. </p>
<p>He kissed her nose, which made her grin, and sighed. “I guess this is as good as time as any to talk about your records about the RAD program.” She immediately frowned at him.</p>
<p>“What was wrong with them? I had them cataloged and cross-referenced into overkill territory,” she huffed. He grinned and took her empty coffee cup and placed it with his on the coffee table.</p>
<p>“Someone lost the key to it.” He was startled when he felt the stormcloud of anger come over her. “Take a breath, Jen. Hell only knows that I’m down for some righteous anger, but it really wasn’t that big of a deal.” She hauled in two deep breaths and composed herself.</p>
<p>“I am very happy you killed the head archivist last month,” she told him, startling him into quiet laughter. She pretended to frown at him. “It’s not funny, I finally finished with that whole archive five weeks ago. That’s over a hundred years of work, thrown away.” She grumbled some more to herself, Satan only catching a few words, but chuckling when he overheard <em>”the audacity!”</em></p>
<p>“Honestly, it’ll be ok, Jen,” he said. “Because of that missing key, I was able to dig through it without any preconceived notions.” She cocked her head at him curiously. “Diavolo originally had me looking for common magic amongst the candidates,” he continued, “but I got bored.”</p>
<p>She grinned, “They were a pretty unmagical lot,” she agreed.</p>
<p>He nodded. “That’s when I noticed that you had kept some interesting records under the ‘Personal Relationships’ heading.” He leered at her sudden blush. “I didn’t realize WE were under scrutiny, too.” She gave a sheepish grin. </p>
<p>“To keep my brain engaged in the mindlessness of my search, I started making a tally sheet of who had sex with the most exchange students-“ he began.</p>
<p>“Solomon,” she interrupted. “But Mammon and Asmo tied if you only counted your brothers.” He tweaked her nose and continued. </p>
<p>“Yes, but did you realize that all of the students that died accidentally or were executed had all slept with the witch delegation?” he asked, with a raised eyebrow. </p>
<p>Raising hers in return, she answered, “Yes, yes I did.”</p>
<p>He pulled back a little, surprised. “You knew?!”</p>
<p>She snorted. “Of course I did. Why do you think they died?” She smiled at his slightly horrified look. “They didn’t die because they had sex with witches, Satan,” she assured him. “It was what they did before and afterwards that condemned them.”</p>
<p>Mollified, Satan gave a questioning look. “That wasn’t in the archives.” She shook her head.</p>
<p>“You would have seen it had someone not lost the reference key. I also have a backup of the investigation in my living record book. I’ll copy it out for you.” She toyed with the bottom hem of her pajamas. “The major flaw in the RAD system, besides not being at all necessary, was that in order to be a candidate, they had to have a little magic in their soul. For most part, the spark was so faint that the human didn’t even realize they had it. But for more than a few of them, they had been raised adjacent to witches, even if they weren’t witches themselves.” She watched as realization dawned on Satan’s face.</p>
<p>“So they were easier to manipulate, because they were half-way educated,” he said, sitting back into the couch, blowing out a puff of air. </p>
<p>“MmmHmm,” she agreed. “It’s easy to convince someone that more power is just within their grasp when they’ve seen proof of actual power.” She raised a finger and tapped her lips, thinking. “Jack was the only exception, by the way.”</p>
<p>Satan racked his brain, trying to remember. “I don’t remember him,” he admitted. She grinned in memory.</p>
<p>“You didn’t like him in the least,” she teased. “His head was full of fluff, and House Astroneth took advantage of that and convinced him to attack me.” She felt Satan stiffen beside her. She patted his knee. “Asmo killed him rather brutally, and Astroneth lost two very junior members of their house.” She frowned. “They’re on the move again, by the way,” she sighed.</p>
<p>Satan felt Jen become rather melancholy, so he tried to cheer her up. “I removed the last of the coven traces off of Mammon.” Her expression brightened. “MoonRiver was especially tricky to remove…” He suddenly became overwhelmed with a fury that was not his own. He was taken by surprise when Jen jumped to her feet and started pacing. “What is it?” he asked, eyes glowing as he fed from her anger.</p>
<p>“MoonRiver was allied with RenoSky.”</p>
<p>Satan’s explosion of fury woke the rest of the house.</p>
<p>----------------</p>
<p>All of the Brothers and Jen were gathered in her great room in various levels of wakefulness. The demons were sprawled across the furniture, looking at a very pissed off Jen, who was still pacing around. </p>
<p>“YOU destroyed RenoSky?” Lucifer asked from a comically overstuffed armchair. Mammon had seated himself on the floor next to him, seeking the comfort of his older brother. Lucifer had threaded his fingers through Mammon’s hair and was tugging it, gently.</p>
<p>Jen spun to face him. “Yes, I did. And you know why.” That coven had abused its pact with Mammon so greatly that it had traumatized him and his Brothers had decided to step in and help. But she beat them to it. “I had thought that the destruction of that coven would serve as a warning to the others, but when MoonRiver proves otherwise…”</p>
<p>“My love,” Asmodeus said from his position on a chaise, “you cannot destroy all of the covens in the universe. It will upset the Balance.” He sat up straighter, and patted the empty space next to him. Jen walked reluctantly over and sat. Asmo’s talented fingers were in her hair immediately, massaging her scalp and making her relax. Satan let out a sigh of relief from across the room. </p>
<p>Levi looked up from his laptop. “This actually matches some of the intelligence Solomon just gave us. If a coven is pissed off enough, they would totally make a deal like that.”</p>
<p>Beel shifted a dozing Belphie off of his legs. “I agree. We need to bank some power before we go hunting, though.” He looked to Lucifer with a gleam in his eye. His Brothers caught his meaning and started grinning.</p>
<p>Jen looked up from her post-scalp-massage haze. “What are you guys talking about?”</p>
<p>Lucifer’s eyes glinted cruelly. Asmo started purring. “My darling,” he purred into her ear. “You now get to come to <em>our</em> Human Realm home.” He whispered into her ear. “Have you ever heard of a place called Las Vegas?”</p>
<p>------------------</p>
<p>Luke opened his eyes, slowly. The bright light had faded, and details in the room were becoming clearer. He looked in front of him, and straight into Michael’s smiling face.</p>
<p>Was Michael shorter?</p>
<p>No, no, Luke was taller.</p>
<p>Luke looked slowly around the room, noting Raphael’s huge grin, and the kind smiles of the other archangels. He turned his head the other way, and saw Uriel’s sardonic smirk. Luke felt a pull just to the left of Uriel, and moved to look.</p>
<p>His eyes locked with Seren’s, and the world disappeared. </p>
<p>The only thing that existed in that second was Luke and Seren.</p>
<p>A low rumble of laughter tumbled all around him, bringing him back into himself. He focused back on Michael, and the Leader of Angels addressed him.</p>
<p>“How do you feel, Luke?” Michael asked. Luke nodded mutely, letting him know that he was ok. “Stand, Luke,” Michael ordered, kindly.</p>
<p>Luke stood, shakily. His sudden growth spurt throwing off his balance. He was shocked to see that he was now eye-to-eye with Michael, and even slightly taller than Raphael. The pressure to release his wings was intense, and he could no longer hold back. His wings exploded out of him, almost making him fall with the momentum. He gave an experimental wiggle, and was shocked when he discovered he now had two extra pairs of wings.</p>
<p>He was a seraph.</p>
<p>“I-,” he stopped, startled by his new deep baritone. He tried again. “I’m a seraph?”</p>
<p>Warm chuckles surrounded him, making him feel more welcomed and accepted than he had ever felt in his entire life.</p>
<p>Michael continued to smile. “The Father has decided that since young Seren was here to take Lucifer’s place on the Archangel Council, he should probably fill Gabriel’s role as well.” He reached out and grasped Luke’s forearm. “Congratulations, my brother. I’m glad for you and for all of us.”</p>
<p>That seemed to be the signal for all of the others to gather and murmur their congratulations and their welcomes. They started leaving shortly after, and soon, the only angels left in the room were Michael, Raphael, Uriel, Seren, and Luke.</p>
<p>Raphael clapped Luke on the shoulder, almost making his knees collapse. “Come find me once you figure out the basics. I’m taking over your training from Simeon. Your gifts are most similar to mine.” With a nod to the remaining angels, Raphael took his leave.</p>
<p>Uriel approached Luke next. “They’re <em>my</em> apprentice for the next few hundred years or so. I promised their mother that I fully train them. You can play house when they’re done.” And with that enigmatic statement, Uriel took his leave.</p>
<p>Never breaking his smile, he gestured for the two newest archangels to sit in the chairs in front of him. Seren sat next to Luke, making his blood sing with happiness. He became confused, and looked at Seren. Seren turned their head slightly away, refusing to look at him.</p>
<p>Michael sighed. “The bond is… difficult, at first.” he said. “Luckily, you’re both angels, so you have an innate sense in how to handle this.” Seren made a quick intake of breath, and Michael nodded at them when he saw they had realized where this was going. “Let me be perfectly clear. You are bonded. Only the two of you can dictate the terms of this bond.” He paused, then continued. “However, I do recommend that you wait a few hundred years, like Uriel so gently explained,” he said, wryly. </p>
<p>Seren snorted and nodded. “May we be excused? I would like to escort Luke back to Simeon. They’re going to need to connect.” Michael granted his permission, and Seren grabbed Luke’s arm and dragged him out of the office.</p>
<p>They were much shorter than Luke now, and they had to tilt their head back up to look at him. “How are you really feeling?” they asked.</p>
<p>“Weird,” Luke answered, looking at his hands. “Like I’m not in the right body. And my thoughts are different, I don’t feel… as free? Maybe?” He shook his head. “Can you help me get back home?” he asked them, quietly.</p>
<p>“Sure thing,” Seren replied with a smile. “Do you want to try out the new wings? We can walk, but I promise you, there’ll be a lot of staring.”</p>
<p>Luke gave his new wings a couple of test flaps. “Yes, let’s try that out.” And before Seren could blink, he was already in the sky.</p>
<p>They smirked. <em>Luke is going to be a powerhouse to be reckoned with,</em> they thought. They unfurled their wings and joined their best friend, soaring in the air.</p>
<p>They reached the home of Luke and Simeon, and landed on the doorstep. Seren pounded on the door, startling Luke. “I live here, we can just walk in,” he said. Seren shook their head. </p>
<p>“Not yet! You look completely different now. I have to reintroduce you,” they said, their nose piercing glinting in the sunlight. The door opened, revealing a very bemused Simeon. “Simeon!” crowed Seren. “Look at Luke!”</p>
<p>Simeon smiled so big, his eyes crinkled shut at the corners. “I knew it! Oh Luke, you are simply breathtaking.” Luke looked shyly down at his newly large feet. Simeon looked slyly at Seren. “What do YOU think, young Seren?”</p>
<p>Seren looked back at Simeon just as slyly. “I think he’s crazy hot.” Luke looked up at them, startled, but they only winked at him and flew away.</p>
<p>Simeon laughed, and tugged Luke into their home. “Come in and see how I remade your room for your birthday.” He looked Luke up and down. “And I’m very glad I did, because there is no way you were going to fit in that old bed of yours. You give Beelzebub a run for his money.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm just going to put this out there now. I will be writing ZERO smut between Seren and Luke. I just can't do it. I'm too much of a mom. They'll be lucky if they get to hold hands sometime in the next fifty years.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Vegas: Night One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jen sat at the expensive and ornate dining room table, one leg tucked under her, as she worked on her laptop. She was surrounded by opulence, and felt rather out of place in the Brothers’ secret suite at the Bellagio. She supposed that was ironic coming from someone who lived in an <em>actual palace,</em> but the Demon King’s Palace was an actual home.</p>
<p>This suite was an echo chamber designed to echo feedback to the Sins. </p>
<p>Literal works of art adorned the walls and pillars. The <em>frames</em> of the paintings were worth more than a medium sized house. The wallpaper covering the suite was threaded with actual precious metals, the fabrics upholstering the furniture sumptuous and handwoven. The furniture itself was decadence personified, handmade by artisans both old and modern. </p>
<p>Attached to the extravagant dining room was a show kitchen, set up for world class chefs to prepare meals at a moment’s notice. There were several main gathering areas, along with a giant piano, a state of the art entertainment area, and a private infinity pool and hot tub. </p>
<p>The Brothers had all scattered as soon as they arrived, out onto the Strip and the surrounding areas to do a full recon, before they settled into their week of debauchery. </p>
<p><em>Wait,</em> Jen thought. <em>My Human is showing again</em>.</p>
<p>Most of them had invited her out on the town with them, but she declined, deciding that she had better start her work as well. Unable to feel comfortable in the suite’s business center, she decided to post up here, in the dining room, where she at least got to see the lights of the Strip through the wall of windows.</p>
<p>She was concentrating on her laptop and making calls on her phone (as much as she liked her D.D.D., nothing could compare to a good old human iPhone), she didn’t notice the human butler sliding up next to her. A cough startled her, making her jump. </p>
<p>“Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there!” she smiled at the man. </p>
<p>He looked at her, stonefaced. “Madame, if you are quite done, I think that it is time for you to go back to your own accommodations. The Masters do not allow guests here when they are absent.” He looked at her like she was worse than the gum stuck to the bottom of her shoe.</p>
<p>Jen grinned, knowing that this poor human was only doing his job. He wasn’t going to appreciate this, but she was about to save his life. “No problem, big guy. I’m out,” she told him calmly. She quickly packed up her laptop and devices into her backpack. “I beg your pardon,” she began to ask, “have you seen my- “ She stopped talking when he held out her purse and her small suitcase. She snorted lightly. Maybe she wouldn’t <em>totally</em> save his ass.</p>
<p>She walked to the exit of the suite, with the butler on her heels, making sure she didn’t grab anything with her grubby paws. He reached around her, opening the door with one hand and handing her what could only be described as a gift basket in the other. “The Masters wish you well,” he intoned, clearing reciting a well known speech, “and hope that you continue to enjoy your stay in the city of Las Vegas.”</p>
<p>Jen was about three seconds from laughing her ass off, but hid that from the poor butler. She winked at him instead, and said, “I guess I’ll see you later?”</p>
<p>He looked down his nose at her. “I sincerely hope not,” he sniffed. He then shut the door firmly in her face.</p>
<p>Jen did start laughing now, even as she pulled her phone out and made a quick reservation in a different hotel. While she liked the Bellagio, she liked less <em>extravagant</em> accommodations when she visited Vegas. She hopped into the waiting elevator, and rode down to the lobby. She didn’t bother to be discreet at all as she strutted through the lobby to the limo pickup area, rolling her suitcase behind her. She had her backpack on and she was holding her purse and gift basket in one hand. </p>
<p>The doorman who opened the door for her gave a sigh. “Oh, you lucky bitch,” he said good-naturedly, gesturing to the gift-basket. “Only the best of the best get those!” He grinned at her. “Let me know if you ever want to get down and party with a poor dude.” His grin let her know that he was joking, and her answering smile let him know that she knew that.</p>
<p>She strutted straight past the taxi and rideshare lines to the waiting limo and its driver holding open the back door, laughing quietly at the whispers of the crowd behind her. </p>
<p>Apparently, high-end, high-priced call girls wear jeans and Chucks.</p>
<p>Handing everything but her purse to the driver, she slid into the back of the limo, and squat-walked her way to the front, just behind the driver. After he had settled her things into the trunk of the car, he slid into the driver’s seat and started the car.</p>
<p>“Where are we headed, Jen?” he asked cheerfully.</p>
<p>“Just to the Paris, Bob,” she said, settling herself for the twenty minute ride across the street. As he pulled out of the circular drive, she spoke. “So what’ve you heard lately?” she asked, laying her chin on the window sill of the divider, preparing for a twenty minute gossip session.</p>
<p>“Funny you should ask…”</p>
<p>--------------</p>
<p>It was close to 4am when Asmodeus found himself returning to the suite. He was cautiously optimistic about his plans for the week, and was looking forward to some sleep before he hit the spa in the afternoon. </p>
<p><em>Wonder if I can talk Jen into coming with me,</em> he mused, exiting the private elevator onto the floor of the suite. He approached the door of the suite, mildly surprised the butler wasn’t there to open it for him. Shrugging to himself, he reached out with a little magic and tripped the lock on the door and opened it himself. </p>
<p>Asmo supposed that he should stop being surprised by anything his brothers do, but he didn’t think that would actually be possible. Not when he walked into Satan leaning over their human butler with murder in his eyes, Levi frantically typing on his laptop and yelling things out at the top of lungs, and Mammon rushing around the suite at top speed, like he was looking for someone.</p>
<p>He stood silently for a bit, watching the tableau with a tilted head. He felt Beelzebub and Belphegor join him in confusion as they, too, were coming back for the night.</p>
<p>“Do we know what they’re going off about?” Beel asked Asmo, curiously. </p>
<p>Asmo shook his head. “No, not yet.” He sighed. He supposed, since he was the acting older brother of this trio, he had better find out what was going on. At least before Lucifer walked in and everything got even worse. </p>
<p>He clapped his hands, grabbing everyone’s attention. “Gentlemen,” he called. “Normally I am <em>all in</em> for a good and sweaty screaming session; but we are here all week, and we will need to pace ourselves.” He sauntered over to Satan, pushing him back from the admirably stoic butler with one finger. “Back away from Jeeves, Satan. He’s only human.”</p>
<p>Satan stepped back a couple of steps, bemused at his brother’s actions. </p>
<p>Asmo then slinked over to Levi, sliding into a chair next to him. He grabbed a bejeweled pillow and threw it with unerring accuracy at Mammon, bringing the speedster to a stop. Belphie smirked at him in appreciation as he and Beel made themselves comfortable in the room.</p>
<p>“Now then,” began Asmo. “What is going on here?” All three demons tried talking at once, and Asmo let slip a trickle of his power. <strong>”STOP,”</strong> he ordered. They stopped talking. Asmo pointed at the butler. “You. Speak. What is going on?”</p>
<p>Asmo had to give him credit, he did not lose his cool. “The Masters are upset because I dismissed the latest guest from the suite.” Asmo could almost hear the quotation marks around the word “guest”. Asmo covered his mouth with his hand, hiding a grin from his upset brothers.</p>
<p>Belphie didn’t bother hiding his amusement. “You thought she was a hooker?”</p>
<p>The butler looked sternly at Belphegor. “The Masters do not <em>purchase</em> flesh. They do occasionally hire entertainers, which is completely above board, between consenting adults, and <em>legal</em>.” Even Beel was smiling now.</p>
<p>“Which one of us forgot to update the staff?” Beel asked, amused. </p>
<p>Mammon, Satan, and Levi looked at the three amused demons spread throughout the room, flabbergasted. “He gave her the <em>gift basket!</em>” exclaimed Levi. “I found the whole thing on the security cameras!” Asmo laughed out loud.</p>
<p>“Look at those tapes closer, Levi. Did Jen look like she was upset?” At Levi’s confused look, Asmo motioned to the laptop. “Watch how she walks through the lobby.” </p>
<p>Levi turned the laptop around so everyone could see the screen. They watched as an obviously amused Jen strutted right through the main lobby to the main exit, calling all kinds of attention to herself. They watched as she flirted with the doorman and the easy way she walked up to the limo. </p>
<p>This was not a woman who was mad.</p>
<p>Satan spun back to the butler. “You need to be very relieved right now that she’s not upset or hurt,” he growled.</p>
<p>Asmo rolled his eyes. “Jeeves, you can retire for the night. We will introduce you to our new team member tomorrow. I’m sorry we didn’t alert you first.”</p>
<p>“Very good sir.” The butler bowed and left immediately.</p>
<p>“This doesn’t solve that we don’t know where she IS!” yelled Mammon, starting to pace again. </p>
<p>Asmo made a grumbling sound in his throat, annoyed that his brothers were being so dense. He made a big show of pulling his D.D.D. out of his pocket. Showing it to the room like a spokesmodel on a gameshow, he dialed the phone, keeping it on speaker.</p>
<p>The phone rang a couple of times, before a sleepy sounding Jen answered.</p>
<p>“H’lo?” she mumbled.</p>
<p>“My love!” exclaimed Asmo. “Out of curiosity, have you missed any calls from my idiot brothers?”</p>
<p>“What?” she asked, still half asleep.</p>
<p>“My brothers, my petal,” Asmo said, patiently. “They are under the impression that our horrible butler sent you to live in a gutter. They couldn’t find you. I figured you had missed their call.”</p>
<p>Jen’s amusement was now audible to everyone listening. “Nope, I am not missing any calls.”</p>
<p>“My favorite piece of candy, where are you right this moment?” Asmo asked, grinning at Lucifer, who was just now walking into the room.</p>
<p>“I’m in a suite at the Paris,” she answered. “You can probably see me if you squint. My room faces yours,” she laughed. </p>
<p>“Jen,” Lucifer interjected, “I’ve been informed that you have received one of our parting gifts.”</p>
<p>“You can’t have it back!” Jen declared. “I earned that, fair and square!” Belphie and Beel started laughing harder, holding each other.</p>
<p>“Be that as it may,” Lucifer said, amused, “That basket is for <em>guests</em>. We can always buy you a NEW gift basket, with higher end goods.”</p>
<p>“Nope! I’m a working girl now. I already sold most of it to the pawn shop down the street. I got bills to pay.” She laughed. “Now if you excuse me, I have an early start tomorrow. Good night, everyone.” </p>
<p>“Goodnight, my love,” Asmo purred. “Will you have time to go to the spa tomorrow with me?”</p>
<p>“I’ll text you,” she answered wryly, before hanging up.</p>
<p>Chuckling, Asmo slid his D.D.D. back in his pocket. “Satisfied?” he asked his brothers in amusement.</p>
<p>Belphie and Beel stood and left the room, still laughing, and wiping tears from their eyes. Mammon sheepishly nodded at Asmo and grabbed Levi, also leaving the room. Satan sighed and went to his bedroom. </p>
<p>Asmo stretched out in his chair and winked at Lucifer as the latter sat next to him. “I channeled you. You would’ve been proud,” Asmo joked. </p>
<p>“I’ve always been proud of you, Asmo,” Lucifer said. “And not because I have to be.” He grinned at his little brother. </p>
<p>Asmo sighed happily, secure in the knowledge that the man he chose to Fall for is completely worth it. </p>
<p>“So what’s your plan, Asmo?” asked Lucifer, as he leaned his chin onto his hand, gazing at his little brother. </p>
<p>Asmo smiled softly at him, knowing instantly what Lucifer was talking about. “She’s it.” He looked seriously at his brother. “Nothing else would feel right.”</p>
<p>Lucifer smiled softly at him and nodded. “Go to bed, Asmo. We have a long week ahead of us.”</p>
<p>Asmo stood, and leaned down to give Lucifer a hug. “You, too. You don’t want to ruin that perfect skin of yours.” The brothers embraced, and they both went to their rooms to sleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The world needs more quiet brother moments and laughing Beel</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Commander Beel</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is a little spicy, lots of dirty talk</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jen awoke just as her alarm started going off. She stretched across the bed to slap it off, and quickly swung her legs off of the bed. She hurried to the bathroom, rushing through her morning routine. She didn’t want to miss what she had planned this morning. </p>
<p>She dressed in a cute and practical outfit perfect for the amount of walking she was planning this morning, and made sure she had both her phone and her D.D.D. on her. She double-checked that she had her room key in her purse, and she slid out of her suite and into the elevator.</p>
<p>The casino was almost silent as the elevator doors slid open. Six thirty in the morning wasn’t a very popular time to be out and about in Vegas, but it was Jen’s favorite time to explore. She walked past all of the hardworking cleaning staff, dodging wet floor signs and the occasional still drunk reveler. </p>
<p>The security guard smiled at her as she walked out of the door that led to the strip. She took a deep breath and smiled as she looked around. It was beautiful.</p>
<p>Even people who travel to Vegas often don’t know this secret: At dawn, the city shows its true face. The rising sun paints the surrounding mountains and hills with a beautiful brush. The buildings on the Strip, designed to shine under neon and attention, glow in muted pastels. Jen loves to see the little details and craftsmanship that appear, almost in defiance of expectations. The street has been newly cleaned, all of the tawdry call girl cards and piles of tourist vomit have disappeared. The streets are almost empty, although there are the occasional groups of slightly tipsy women, all holding their high heels by the strap, and walking barefoot on the sidewalk.</p>
<p><em>You can sense the possibility of everything,</em> mused Jen, as she strolled her way down the strip, nodding in a friendly way to city workers and homeless folks alike. Her head on a swivel, she took in all of the changes since she had last visited, as always impressed with the massive changes and rebrandings that seem to take place every other year or so. She smiled softly to herself in contentment while she walked.</p>
<p>----------</p>
<p>Beelzebub slid out of the suite before even the butler had reported for duty. He was going to try to get a run in, since the gyms in the human realm couldn’t challenge him at all. He started stretching while he waited for the elevator, making sure his workout shorts were secure and his shoes were tied. He wished he could wear his usual tank top, but that tends to attract too much attention, so he was making do with a t-shirt. </p>
<p>He continued to stretch in the elevator, and once it slid open to the lobby, he made a beeline to the exit leading to the fountains. He’d start his run there and work his way north to the end of the Strip and come back. It wasn’t much of a run, but it was his only choice. </p>
<p>He was halfway through his run, and he almost tripped over his own feet. He pulled to a halt, and marvelled at what he saw walking his direction. </p>
<p>Jen was walking with her face to the sky, looking at all of the buildings, a look of utter contentment on her face. She looked adorable, in a short flowy skirt and matching top. He noted with approval that she was wearing her purse across her body, leaving her hands free to swing at her sides. He was debating about bothering her, but she took the decision out of his hands.</p>
<p>“Beel!” Jen’s face lit up in a smile, causing his heart to thump. She waved at him, and hurried her pace to meet up with him. “Good morning,” she beamed sunnily up to him.</p>
<p>He grabbed his wrist to keep from scooping her into a giant hug. He was all too aware of how sweaty he was. Jen smiled, and patted his arm. “Don’t let me interrupt,” she said. He shook his head and smiled at her. </p>
<p>“I don’t mind,” he said. He moved them to the edge to the sidewalk, out of the way of the light foot traffic. “What are you up to this morning?” he asked her. </p>
<p>She blushed a little, which spiked his interest even higher. “This is my favorite time of day in this town,” she said. “I always try to make time to enjoy it when I’m here.” She sighed softly, still smiling at him. “Did I ruin your run?”</p>
<p>He ducked down and kissed the tip of her nose, making her grin. “Nope, you made it better.” And he meant it. That weird, unsettled feeling he had been fighting all morning had completely settled the moment he saw her. </p>
<p>She stepped back and made a show of eyeing him up and down. “Any chance I can talk you into abandoning your run and grabbing breakfast with me? There’s a great restaurant in my hotel that overlooks the strip.”</p>
<p>Beel pretended to think about her offer. “Well, now, I’m not sure. Food? <em>In the morning?</em> That seems, I don’t know, kinda gross, right?” He grinned playfully at her. </p>
<p>She laughed and slapped him playfully in the stomach. “Come on, I’ll even pay.” She moved to start walking toward her hotel, and he playfully grabbed her arm as she passed and pulled her close, deciding to ignore the fact he was still slightly sweaty. </p>
<p>He wrapped his arms around her in a big hug, and stooped a bit to murmer into her ear. “I’m so happy my girl is rich enough to feed me,” he teased. He felt her muffled laughter against his chest, and he moved to shift her so that they were side by side and his arm was surrounding her shoulders. “Come on,” he told her. “I’m starving.”</p>
<p>A short time later found the pair relaxing at an outdoor patio bistro, set above the foot traffic of the strip. The waiter didn’t even blink at the amount of food Beel had ordered, and when Beel looked curiously at Jen when the waiter left to put in the order, she explained. “This is a popular place for human athletes, specifically football players. They’re used to it.” </p>
<p>They chatted lightly while they waited for their food to be brought out, happy in each other’s company. It was only after Beel had eaten his first two entrees did the discussion turn to the previous night’s excitement.</p>
<p>“Are you going to come back to the suite at all?” asked Beel, halfway through an order of waffles. </p>
<p>Jen shook her head. “No, I’m going to stay here.” She took a sip of her coffee. “It’s not that it’s not a <em>nice</em> place, but…” Beel grinned at her.</p>
<p>“Yeah. It’s a lot. But it helps store energy like you wouldn’t believe,” he said, pushing aside a half-eaten waffle. At Jen’s raised eyebrow, he chuckled. “There’s more to gluttony than just food, you know.” He smiled as her face lit with interest. “You’ve seen me work out. Let’s not pretend that it’s not to excess, because it is. Back home,” at this, he takes a slow glance around to make sure they weren’t being overheard, “it’s harder for us, because we’re removed from humans. Here, we’re swimming in it. So we built a storage battery of sorts.”</p>
<p>Jen leaned forward, chin on her hand. “Is that why there’s almost no food or a gym in the suite?”</p>
<p>Beel nodded, delighted that she was following along. “Here, instead of eating or working out constantly, I tempt.” He smiled when she shook her head ruefully. “It’s hard for you to remember what we are sometimes, isn’t it?”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” she sighed. “I’m always so deep in the muck back home, and you all seem so much more <em>elevated</em>, I guess.” She smiled at him to show that she wasn’t upset or disgusted. The waiter chose that moment to drop the check, and Jen made a face at Beel when he grabbed it out of her hand. “I said I’d treat you, Beel!” she scolded.</p>
<p>He dropped a load of cash into the portfolio and shoved it at the waiter before she could grab it back. “Yeah, I decided I didn’t want you to.” He stood, and held his hand out to her, effortlessly pulling her to her feet. “C’mon.” He started to lead her out of the restaurant. </p>
<p>Bemused, she let him lead her through the casino and to the hotel lobby. “Which bay?” he asked, gesturing at the elevator sections. She hid a delighted smile as she pointed to the elevators that led to her floor. He pulled her over to the correct elevator, and he hit the call button. “You’re not on a private floor?” he asked with a frown.</p>
<p>“I didn’t see a point to that,” she told him, walking into the elevator in front of him and hitting the button for her floor. He walked in closely behind her, immediately hitting the door close button as he walked in. She didn’t see him gesture at the hidden cameras.</p>
<p>“Well, there are two reasons for that,” he told her, conversationally. “One, you're a high-ranking official in the most powerful government in three realms.” He glared at her as she rolled her eyes. “And two- “ Using his large body, he backed her into a corner of the elevator and loomed down at her. “The private floors have better sound-proofing.” He swooped down to take control of her mouth in a hungry, all-consuming kiss. </p>
<p>Jen gasped in surprise, giving Beel the opening he needed to slide his tongue into her mouth and take total possession. Knees weak, she grasped at Beel’s arms as he lifted his hands to grab the sides of her face, still in control of the kiss. </p>
<p>The elevator slid to a stop, and Beel pulled away abruptly. He was already exiting the elevator even as Jen tried to catch her breath. “Which room is yours?” he asked, facing three different hallways. She walked by him and glared, still a little shaky.</p>
<p>She reached into her purse and pulled out her room key and approached her room.</p>
<p>“Wait, wait, wait,” Beel stopped her. She turned and met his glower with her own. “So not only are you NOT on a private floor, your room is the closest to the elevator?!” She sighed and turned her back to him, unlocking her room. </p>
<p>She led the way into her suite, which was by no means insubstantial. She removed her purse and laid it on the bar, and she heard Beel close and lock the door behind them. She continued to ignore him as she pulled the curtains wide, letting in the morning light. She turned when she heard Beel on a call.</p>
<p>“Lucifer. I’m with Jen, her room is nowhere near secure enough, I’ll be taking care of that today.” A pause as he listens, and she feels herself growing wary at the gleam in his eye. “Yeah.” At this he raises his eyes and locks his gaze with hers. “I will <em>absolutely</em> make sure that she is aware of proper security procedures.” His lips tilt up in a smirk that would do Belphie proud, and she could faintly hear Lucifer’s sadistic laughter through the speaker. “We’ll see you tomorrow.” She raised her eyebrows at that last sentence as he ended the call. </p>
<p>“Tomorrow?” She asked, a disbelieving look on her face. </p>
<p>He ignored her as his thumbs flew across the surface of his D.D.D. She sighed in exasperation and sat down in a chair, pulling out her own devices. She only had a couple of texts, unsurprising, as it was still pretty early in the morning.</p>
<p>
  <strong>From Asmo: Oooooooo, I was going to ask you to the spa today, but judging by the phone call I just listened in on, you’ll need it more ~*tomorrow*~ Love you!! </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>From Belphie: I’m claiming you day after tomorrow</strong>
</p>
<p>Beel suddenly knelt in front of her. “How much packing do you need to do? I have a team coming right now to move you to a different floor.” His face showed that he would accept no arguments from her. </p>
<p>“None, I didn’t unpack from last night yet.” He nodded and stood up, and went into the bedroom to grab her suitcase. She went into the bathroom and grabbed her toiletry bag. There was a knock at the door, and Beel was swiftly moved to the door to let his team in, frowning at Jen the whole time. </p>
<p> The team quickly grabbed all of her things, with Beel grabbing the still wrapped gift basket. “Thanks for grabbing that!” Jen quipped. “I earned that fair and square!”</p>
<p>He looked at her from the corner of his eye. “Not yet, you haven’t.” A thrill chased up her spine. </p>
<p>They walked into the hall and were immediately surrounded by the security team. Jen kept her mouth shut, not wishing to undermine Beel. They quickly entered what Jen thought was a utility closet, only to find out that it was a private elevator.</p>
<p>The elevator went up a few more floors and opened to a quiet hallway. The lead security officer spoke the guard at the suite’s door, and was let in, while Jen, Beel, and the rest of the security team waited in the hallway. </p>
<p>Several more security guards exited the suite. The lead officer saluted Beel. “The rooms are clear, no surveillance, magic or otherwise.” The guards holding Jen’s things took them into the rooms and left immediately. </p>
<p>Beel nodded at the officer. “Good. See to it that no one comes on this floor unless Lady Jen, myself, or my Brothers clear them. All hotel staff need to be accompanied by one of you.” He wrapped his free arm around Jen’s shoulders and escorted her into the rooms, dismissing his team. </p>
<p>Jen barely had time to register how ridiculously large her new rooms were before she found herself shoved up against the closed door to her suite. “Now,” growled Beel, “let me show you how to lock a door.” He spun her around so that the front of her was pressed against the door. He grabbed her right hand and placed it on the sliding lock at the top of the door. </p>
<p>“If you are alone, this is <em>always</em> locked,” he growled into her ear. “You have a habit of never using this.” He moved his hand away from hers. “Show me how you lock it.” </p>
<p>Deciding to be more excited than pissed, Jen reached up to swing the lock shut. As she moved the lock, Beel ran the tip of his tongue over the shell of her ear. She gasped. “Good,” purred Beel. “Now show me the deadbolt.”</p>
<p>She lowered her hand to the little lever above the doorknob and flicked it over. “VERY good,” Beel praised running his arm down her side. She felt him lean closer to her ear. “Now show me how you open a door.”</p>
<p>She eagerly flipped the deadbolt and reached up to fling open the slide lock, when Beel firmly spanked her ass once.</p>
<p>“No.” </p>
<p>She turned her head to look at him in confusion. He had a stern expression on his face. “Lock the deadbolt again.” She did as she was told, and was rewarded with a tiny kiss on her ear. “Now. How do you open a door?”</p>
<p>She was baffled, and more than a little turned on. Maybe she did it in the wrong order? She reached up to swing open the slide lock, and he spanked her ass twice. </p>
<p>“No.”</p>
<p>She was completely confused about what he wanted from her. “Beel, I don’t know what you want here.”</p>
<p>He moved his hand under her skirt, and ran a finger lightly under the hem of her panties. “It’s not hard, Jen. Remember the security briefings you had in the Palace? It’s the same thing here.” He moved so he could grab her whole ass cheek. He squeezed it with his firm hand. “Unless you <em>forgot</em> all of those briefings.” He pressed the front of his body against her back. She could feel his sizable erection, and she almost forgot to breathe. “But I hope you remember them.”</p>
<p><em>Oh fuuuck,</em> thought Jen. <em>PLEASE let me remember!</em></p>
<p>“Now,” Beel breathed into her ear. “How do you answer the door.”</p>
<p>Jen let out a shuddering breath. “W-who is it?” she asked the door, being very careful not to move. </p>
<p>“Good girl,” Beel praised, moving an arm around her to caress her breast. “What’s next?”</p>
<p>Jen strained her body up, almost closing her eyes as she felt Beel rub against her. “I look through the peephole,” she said, suiting actions to words. Her breath caught in her throat as she witnessed what was happening in the hallway. </p>
<p>Beel was a rumble behind her. “What do you see, Jen?” </p>
<p>“An orgy.” She couldn’t tear her eyes away. “The guards are having an orgy.” As she watched, more guards arrived and were absorbed into the mass of tangled limbs. It was as if they couldn’t get enough. </p>
<p>“Yes. They’re insatiable right now. They can’t get enough,” Beel growled into her ear, as he ground his dick into her back. “They’ll be going until I release them, never satisfied but never stopping.” He pulled her hair away from her neck and started making little bites along it. “If you had gone out there without checking, you would have been caught up in that, too.” He felt her small gasp, and smiled against her neck. “Do you understand door protocols now?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” she breathed, as she moved down from the peephole. He spun her around and lifted her, her legs going around his hips instinctively. </p>
<p>He gave her another scorching kiss, pulling away just as he felt her grinding her core against him. “Now,” he said, laying his forehead against hers, “answer this next one right, and I’ll eat your pussy for an hour straight.” He smiled, a sweet contrast to the assertive Commander of the Guard she been dealing with. “And Jen, I really, really hope you get this right.”</p>
<p>She nodded, biting her lip. </p>
<p>“If you see something in the hall that’s threatening or concerning, what do you do?” His smile gave her a hint. </p>
<p>“I call you, your brothers, or Barb. If it’s an immediate threat, I sic Ajax on them.” She said sweetly. </p>
<p>He rewarded her with even a deeper kiss, as he carried her to the master suite. “Oh thank Diavolo,” he said. </p>
<p>“I’m starving.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Oh, what up, Dom Beel?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Feelings Revealed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jen woke up to someone flinging her curtains aside. The sun shined bright in the room and threatened to blind her as she blinked her bleary eyes open. She groaned and buried her face in her pillow. She finally rolled over at the sound of masculine laughter.</p>
<p>“Good morning,” murmured Beelzebub from the place on the bed next to her. He rolled over and gave her a kiss on the forehead. “I’m headed out. Have fun today.” He grinned as she glared at him through a half opened eye. He sat up, and swung his legs off the bed, and Jen got an eyeful of naked Beel butt. </p>
<p>A body crashing down onto the bed behind her almost distracted her. Almost.</p>
<p>An appreciative sigh sounded from behind her, and she felt an arm drape over her. “He really does have the best ass in three realms,” hummed a happy Asmodeus. Jen hummed in agreement, and snuggled into Asmo. The two of them watched Beel get dressed, both booing when he put on the boxer briefs that Asmo brought him from their suite. He grinned over his shoulder and shimmied his ass at the two of them, causing a chorus of catcalling from the bed. </p>
<p>He shook his head at the grinning duo laying on the bed. “I’m going to be hunting today. I might not answer right away when you call.” He slung his bag over his shoulder, and looked at the pair of unrepentant sexual harassers in the bed. “What are you up to today?”</p>
<p>Asmo replied eagerly. “<em>We</em> are going to the spa!” He smiled at Beel, a touch sadistically. “So basically the same as you.”</p>
<p>Beel grinned at them. “Happy hunting,” he said. He looked into Jen’s eyes. “Be careful.” He rolled his eyes at her snort, and leaned over the bed. Ignoring Asmo’s face lying alongside Jen’s, he kissed her goodbye. He gave Asmo a wry look as he stood, and he left the suite.</p>
<p>Asmo waited until he heard the door shut behind him, and lazily waved the locks shut. He snuggled closer into Jen, nuzzling her hair. “Well, my pearl. You are all mine today!” He pulled away and stood up suddenly, pulling the blankets off of her in one yank. </p>
<p>She gasped, more in surprise than embarrassment, and sat up quickly. “Asmo!”</p>
<p>He tutted at her. “My goodness, what DID that brute DO to you last night?” He clicked his tongue as she ignored him and walked into the bathroom. “You need to tell me <em>everything</em>, darling!” he called at her through the door. </p>
<p>“Not happening, Asmo!” she called out from the bathroom. She paused as she walked past the mirror, and groaned. She was covered in little bite marks and hickies. She jumped as Asmo popped up next to her, grinning at her in the mirror.</p>
<p>“Not to worry, my pumpkin pie! I will take care of you today!” He shoo’d her into the shower. “Now make it quick, we have all day at the spa!” She took a quick and thorough shower, listening to Asmo gossip at her on the other side of the enclosure. “By the way, how do you like that shower gel I put in there?” he asked, casually.</p>
<p>She turned off the water and stepped into the towel he held out for her. “I love it,” she answered, drying herself off. She wrapped the towel around her, while Asmo tackled her hair with another towel. He made a happy sound.</p>
<p>“NOW look in the mirror, my power blossom!” he sang at her. She turned to look, and her jaw dropped.</p>
<p>Every bite, every hickey was healed, like it never existed.</p>
<p>She looked at Asmo in the mirror, and he gave a smug smile. “Satan’s not the only one with a knack for potion work, my little cheese. I just like mine done with a little pizzazz.” He laughed. “I’ll make sure to keep you supplied.” He pulled her into the bedroom, where he had laid out an outfit for her. “I’ve already packed you a bag for the day! We’re going to have so much fun today, my little pepper pot!” He swanned around the room while she got dressed.</p>
<p>----------------</p>
<p>Hours later, Jen and Asmo were utterly pampered and relaxed, lounging in the spa’s private hot tub. They sat across from each other, their ankles hooked together. “Thank you for bringing me here, Asmo,” Jen said. “I didn’t know I needed this so badly.” She sank further into the water, her head the only thing currently above the surface.</p>
<p>He smiled softly at her, a very un-Asmo-like smile. “You’ve had a hell of month, Jen.” She noticed that he only called her Jen when he was being serious. “It’s the least I could do.” He shifted in the water until he was sitting next to her. He tugged her against his chest and just held her. She could tell something was on his mind.</p>
<p>“I need to tell you something, my Jen,” Asmo stated softly, his fingers absently stroking her arm up and down. “And I am going to tell you now, while we’re in private.” She tried shifting so she could see his face, but he held her firmly in place. “I might chicken out if I see you watching me,” he explained. “And I’ve waited too long to tell you.” She nodded, and relaxed against his chest once more.</p>
<p>“I love you, Jen.” He squeezed her tighter as he felt her startle. “Shhh, I’ve loved you for years and years, Jen, even before we realized that we belonged to you.” He buried his face in her hair, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. “People tend to put me in a box,” he explained. “I am the fancy whore, the courtesan, the cam boy. They all think because of the sin I represent, that I must be vapid, or stupid. They never want to have a conversation with me. Or really connect. The only beings that ever took me seriously are my brothers, and even then they couldn’t always show that in public.” He sighed, rubbing his cheek against the top of her head. “Until you, my love.”</p>
<p>“You came into our lives, refusing to be anything that you are not, and refusing to treat me as just another whore in hell. You genuinely listened to me, you became my friend.” He sighed, sadly. “I didn’t <em>have</em> friends before I met you. Solomon came close, but he had my pact. There was always going to be a part of me that couldn’t trust him. But you.” He squeezed her a little. “You became my friend. You never came after my sin, you never wondered what I could do for you. To you, I was just <em>me</em>.” </p>
<p>Jen pulled away a bit, and turned in his arms. She smiled at him, and reached out a hand to tuck his hair behind his ear. She started to say something to him, but he shushed her. </p>
<p>“I haven’t had any kind of sex with another being in ten years,” he told her. He marveled at her once more when she cocked her head in curiosity instead of reacting in shock. </p>
<p>“Lust presents itself in all kinds of ways,” she said. “You told me that. So I know you don’t <em>need</em> to have sex. But why haven’t you?” Jen’s expression was open and earnest. She truly wanted to know.</p>
<p>He settled her back against his chest. “I couldn’t do it,” he said. “You showed me that I was worth respect. And I decided that if I couldn’t respect my partner either, then it wasn’t worth it. And since the only beings I respected were my brothers, which is too taboo even for me, and you, who couldn’t even touch anyone, that meant no sex for me.” He chuckled. “And even now, I’m holding back, because I respect you so much that I want to wait.” </p>
<p>She sighed in happiness. “Asmo, you really are the best.” </p>
<p>An attendant walked in at that point, and Asmo felt Jen’s attention sharpen on the woman. She tapped his thigh under the water, asking him to let her go. He released her, and he watched as Jen rose out of the water and onto the surrounding pool deck.</p>
<p><em>Like a goddess,</em> he thought, watching her approach the attendant, trying to guess what her approach would be. They’d been waiting all day for a likely informer to cross their path. Looks like Jen may have her prey.</p>
<p>The attendant watched warily as Jen approached her. Jen was fully aware of how strong she looked in the monokini that Asmo had picked out for her, and so she tried to look both strong and approachable. “Hi,” Jen said softly. “Go ahead and keep working, I’m going to pretend to look for something right next to you.” The attendant nodded, and went back to stocking towels. Jen stood next to her, pretending to read the spa safety sign on the wall. </p>
<p>“Would you like to tell me about that mark on your arm, and how you managed to get caught up in a necromancer’s trap?”</p>
<p>----------------</p>
<p>Barbatos found himself in one of the Palace’s small kitchens again. He was taking a moment for himself before diving into work with Lord Diavolo once more. They had barely had time to sleep while they dealt with the fall-out from the port explosion.</p>
<p>Barb sat wearily, waiting for his tea to steep, not really looking at anything. A footstep broke his reverie and he looked up into the sympathetic eyes of the human sorcerer, Solomon. Solomon waved him back into his seat as he moved to serve the sorcerer. </p>
<p>“No need, Barbatos. You’re dead on your feet. Rest.” The sorcerer sat down across from Barb at the small table. “I meant to thank you for the save the other day,” Solomon told the butler.</p>
<p>“Of course,” murmured Barbatos. “Do you know that I actually <em>forgot</em> I made a pact with you?” Barb chuckled tiredly. “It took me a minute to figure out what was happening.”</p>
<p>Solomon raised an eyebrow. “You forgot about me so quickly then?” He leaned in and smiled a winning smile at Barb. “Maybe we should <em>renew</em> our acquaintance?” he asked, innuendo filling his words. </p>
<p>
  <strong>”NO.”</strong>
</p>
<p>The command startled both men, and their heads turned to the newcomer in the room. They both hastily got to their feet.</p>
<p>“My lord!” Barbatos said. “How may I be of service?”</p>
<p>King Diavolo’s face was like a thunder cloud, anger written into every line. “Barbatos, leave us. I will speak to Solomon alone.” His face softened as he looked at Barb. “Go get some sleep. THAT is an order.” Barb looked mystified as he left the room. </p>
<p>Diavolo turned back to Solomon, thunder cloud expression back on his face. “Give me one reason why I shouldn’t strip you of every pact you have, sorcerer.”</p>
<p>Solomon schooled his shocked expression into polite respect. He had always got along with the young demon king, so to say he wasn’t prepared for this confrontation was an understatement. “My Lord, I did not intend any offense,” he said, carefully. “Your Majesty certainly hasn’t minded my actions with demons prior to today.” If he was lucky, he’d get out of this alive.</p>
<p>The fight seemed to have left Diavolo as quickly as it arrived. “That is true, young Solomon. And I should have spoke as soon as I saw that it wasn’t Asmodeus’s pact running the show.” The king lifted an eyebrow. “You’re just a horny shit-for-brains human, who let’s his dick make his decisions.” A gleam took over the Demon Lord’s eyes (if Jen was around, she would have recognized it as the same look his father gets when he’s about to be an asshole for fun.) and he motioned at the sorcerer. A few words in the old Demonish language, and Solomon felt a coldness run over his body.</p>
<p>Diavolo gave an evil grin. “There you go.”</p>
<p>Solomon slapped his hands around his body in horror. “What did you do to me?” he whispered.</p>
<p>Diavolo flashed into his demon form and leaned down into the sorcerer's face. “It’s temporary,” he told Solomon. “But I basically turned your dick off. Congratulations! You get to be celibate for a year and a day.” He got closer, so close that Solomon could see the hellfire in his eyes.</p>
<p>“Hands off my Barbatos, or you will find out for yourself how hell is for <em>dead</em> humans.”</p>
<p>He spun on his heel and left a distraught Solomon standing alone in a tiny kitchen.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Past Hurts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Necromancer? I’m not sure what you’re talking about, ma’am.” The attendant’s eyes were shifting, looking everywhere but at Jen. The poor woman started shaking, but Jen noticed that she wasn’t making a move to leave the pool area.</p>
<p>Signalling to Amsodeus to stay put in the hottub, Jen continued her line of questioning while casually checking out the list of spa offerings posted on the wall. Still not looking at the attendant, she shifted to hide her mouth from any cameras. “What is your name?” she asked, softly.</p>
<p>“Maria,” the attendant answered, just as softly. Her shaking was getting worse.</p>
<p>“I am not going to tell you to relax, Maria, because we both know that would be worthless,” Jen told her, not unkindly. “Do they have something of yours?” That’s how necromancers worked. They take something of great meaning from an unsuspecting victim and hold it hostage so that the victim is tied to the necromancer until the object is retrieved or the victim’s aura is drained dry, powering the necromancer. The more personal the item, the tighter the binding.</p>
<p>A choked sob rang out, breaking Jen’s heart. “My son’s ashes,” whispered Maria. “My beautiful son.” The poor woman gave up all pretense of pretending to work, and collapsed to her knees, covering her face in her hands. </p>
<p>Jen glanced at Asmo, she saw he was already in the process of stopping the cameras and preparing to run interference if anyone came into the pool area. She knelt next to Maria, and gently laid a hand on her back. “I can help you,” she said, quietly. She felt Maria sobs slow down. Good, she was listening. “Do you know their name?”</p>
<p>Maria nodded. “Nathan Carmichael. He was my pastor.”</p>
<p>Jen stood up, and calmly walked the three steps to stand directly in front of Asmo. He looked at her face in alarm.</p>
<p>“I am going to faint,” she announced. </p>
<p>Even with the warning, Asmo was so surprised that he almost missed catching her when she fell into a faint for the first time in her life.</p>
<p>------------------------------</p>
<p>
  <em>Several hours later</em>
</p>
<p>Asmo left Jen in her suite, after she finally kicked him out for fussing over her. She was currently sitting on a couch, working on her laptop, and getting angrier by the second. She sent a quick text to Satan, warning him to stay away while she was like this. No need for her rage to tip him over into his. </p>
<p>He made his displeasure known in his answering text.</p>
<p>Jen worked solidly without break for several hours, becoming more and more concerned with what she saw. Only the very real need for a bathroom break broke her concentration, and even then, she was lost in thought as she walked to the bathroom.</p>
<p>While she was in the bathroom, she decided that she had better change into something more comfortable, as she was likely to be up all night. She walked into the bedroom, absent-mindedly pulling her shirt over her head. </p>
<p>“I love when you do that, doll,” a voice drawled out from the bed. </p>
<p>She paused, shirt still wrapped around her arms. “How long have you been here?” she asked.</p>
<p>Belphegor sat up and stretched his arms up to the ceiling. “Oh, since before Asmo brought you back.” He scooted to the edge of the bed, and swung his legs over. He stood and walked lazily over to Jen. “I was going to just wait for you to come to bed,” he gently pulled her shirt from her arms and tossed it in the corner, “but I fell back asleep once you decided to work like crazy.” He busied himself with undoing the button on her jeans and pulling them down. “Here, step out of these,” he ordered.</p>
<p>Slightly amused, she followed his orders, until she was standing in front of him in just her panties (Asmo didn’t see the point of a bra when he picked her outfit for the day). He made an approving sound in his throat and wrapped his arms around her in a quiet hug. “Come lay down,” he ordered. He walked out of the hug and tugged her to the bed. “Lay down with me, and you can tell me what happened.”</p>
<p>She sighed and gave up wanting to go back to her laptop. She crawled into bed, Belphie right behind her. He laid on his back and pulled at Jen so that she laid her chest against his. “Talk to me,” he coaxed. “Tell me what made the most badass being in three realms faint like a teenaged human looking at their first set of boobs.” He ran his hand soothingly up and down her spine. </p>
<p>She huffed in amusement. “That’s a hell of a visual,” she told him. </p>
<p>He chuckled, and kept running his hand along her back. “Remind me to tell you about what we were like after the Fall sometime. Angels aren’t celibate as a rule, but somehow all of us were damn near close to that when we fell.” He chuckled, reliving past memories. </p>
<p>She stayed quiet, enjoying his company. </p>
<p>“Hey,” he said, coming back to the point. “What happened?” </p>
<p>She let out a sad sigh. “You know how my soul’s all muddy, because I took on the sins of all those people?”<br/>He nodded. “Well, I don’t think you know how I was put in that position in the first place. I think the only folks who know are Reggath, your Father, and most of the archangels.” She felt a tear run down her face, and land on Belphie’s chest. He tightened his arms around her. </p>
<p>“A group of people stormed my church with bombs and guns, and started slaughtering everyone. All I could think about was getting to Seren, they were in charge of the Sunday school that day, and weren’t with Curtis and I.” More tears joined the first one, and Belphie continued to hold her tight. </p>
<p>“Curtis was Seren’s father?” he asked, unsurprised. In order for Jen to have a kid, she had to have been with someone. </p>
<p>“Mmhmm. My husband.”</p>
<p>“Was he a good man? Would he have made it to the chorus without your help?” Belphie assumed so. </p>
<p>“Yes,” Jen smiled. “He was the best. We were married for twenty years.” She propped her chin on her hand and looked at Belphie. “I asked Simeon to check on his status for me shortly after I was granted immortality. He happily faded into the chorus, with no regrets. His consciousness is no more.”</p>
<p>Belphie watched as her eyes got sad again. “Curtis jumped one of the attackers to buy me time to get to the kids. I got there just in time to watch them get blown up by an explosive device. I was caught in the back blast and blown into one of the attackers, who told me that their target was Nathan Carmichael, who ran the church across the street.” Bitter anger crossed her features. “They had attacked the wrong target.”</p>
<p>Belphie got angry on her behalf. “I hate that we can’t interfere too deeply in Human affairs. Not one demon would let that fly.”</p>
<p>She sighed. “Humans are bigger monsters than demons ever were,” she told him.</p>
<p>Scoffing in agreement, Belphie didn’t let her stop there. “So what upset you about today?”</p>
<p>“Solomon told you that a necromancer teamed with witches, right?” Belphie nodded. “Well, Asmo and I ran into a woman that had been tagged. And when I asked her for a name, she told me it was Pastor Nathan Carmichael.” </p>
<p>She watched Belphie’s eyes unfocus as he thought through several scenarios. “I know you better than to suggest coincidence,” he told her. “You found him, didn’t you?”</p>
<p>“Yes. His church is just outside of the city. I followed his history, and he’s a cocky motherfucker. His magic extends his life, but he’s kept the same name all this time. He presents himself as a prophet.” She closed her eyes and sighed. “I don’t know if he’s the one we’re looking for. I need to talk to Diavolo.”</p>
<p>“Tomorrow,” Belphie said firmly. She nodded her agreement, and snuggled back into his chest. “You make that call tomorrow. Tonight, you sleep and get some real rest.” She heard his humor break though his usual lazy inflections. “I have no idea how you’re still walking today anyway after what I felt flowing through the twin-bond last night,” he teased.  </p>
<p>She smacked at his chest in amusement. “Go to sleep. I have a feeling that we have to deal with a full house tomorrow.”</p>
<p>He laughed and snuggled her into the comfy bed. </p>
<p>———————</p>
<p>“Luke, RELAX, you’re going to give yourself an aneurysm!” snapped an exasperated Seren. </p>
<p>Luke shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs. His thoughts had been spinning in his head since his aging. Due to a quirk of his archangel nature, he had perfect recall of all of his past interactions, and it was driving him crazy seeing past encounters with adult eyes. SO MUCH had gone over his innocent head, that he was embarrassed by his actions in his memories. </p>
<p>“Seren, I need to examine all of this! How much did I not understand?!” He was beside himself with stress. Simeon couldn’t help him with this, he wasn’t an archangel. </p>
<p>“So you didn’t understand a dirty joke or two,” they shrugged. “No one <em>expected</em> you to, Luke! Everyone knew you were a child!” Seren was on their way to being very annoyed. “And they <em>certainly</em> didn’t expect you to become an archangel!” </p>
<p>Luke grumbled, and made himself comfortable in a lotus position. “I NEED to know, Seren!” he snapped at them. </p>
<p>Seren stood in front of him, their wings flared out in annoyance. “NO, Luke. You do NOT.” Their top pair of wings clapped at Luke, knocking him in the head. “Don’t become one of those asshole angels that gets lost in that glory of God bullshit.” A passing cherub made a distressed noise, and Seren glared at them until they left. </p>
<p>Pissed off, Luke launched back to his feet and towered his newly large frame over Seren. “You don’t get it!” he yelled at them, “I don’t know what I missed!”</p>
<p>“Oh for fuck’s sake, may the Good Lord save us all from a pair of teenaged archangels,” interrupted an exasperated voice. Both young archangels turned to the newcomer. </p>
<p>Raphael approached them, shaking his head. “I thought Simeon might buy me some more time, but it looks like it’s time I step in.” He turned to Seren. “You better head back to Uriel. You’ve done what you can, but you can’t fix idiocy.” Seren’s eyes twinkled as they bowed, and they flew away. </p>
<p>Luke pouted a little, put out that his bonded didn’t even say goodbye. </p>
<p>“Oh, stop it, Luke,” sighed Raph. “Follow me. We’re going to go grab your crap from Simeon’s place, and move you into mine.” His expression turned from annoyed to kind in an instant. Raph reached out and clapped his hand onto Luke’s shoulder. </p>
<p>“I should have moved you in the second you presented, but I was lazy and wanted Simeon to do the beginner things.” He smiled at Luke’s bewildered face. “First lesson, your memories are just that. Memories. You have perfect recall to help you make decisions <em>in the present</em>.” He moved his hand from Luke’s shoulder to his head, ruffling his hair. “Come on, Luke.” He launched himself into the sky, not looking to see if Luke was following. </p>
<p>Luke sighed, consciously letting go of his obsession with memory, and launched himself after his new mentor. </p>
<p>—————</p>
<p>Barbatos quietly let himself into King Diavolo’s chambers, breakfast tray in his hands. He quietly and efficiently set the tray down on the small table just outside the office. Barb did a quick, professional pat-down of his person, making sure that his appearance was appropriate for the presence of his king. </p>
<p>Barb knocked lightly on the door, and frowned a little at the exhausted “come in, Barb” from the other side. He opened the door to the sight of an exhausted Diavolo. His shock at seeing his lord in such a state made him drop all propriety. </p>
<p>“Diavolo!” Barb gasped, “what’s happened?” He rushed behind the desk to Diavolo’s side. </p>
<p>Diavolo gave him an exhausted grin. “Nothing, Barb. Relax. I just haven’t slept in a couple of days.” </p>
<p>Barb started fussing over Diavolo. “Should we recall Lucifer, my lord?” Barb asked in concern, as he ran his hands over the king, checking for hidden injuries. </p>
<p>Diavolo snorted. “No, this was a personal conflict, Barb.” He groaned, stretching his arms to the sky and arching his back. His eyes turned sly, as he observed his worried friend. </p>
<p>“Barb, you called me by my name.” Barb froze, and turned in shock to Diavolo. </p>
<p>“I apologize, my lord-!” Barbatos started to say. </p>
<p>Diavolo snaked an arm around Barb’s waist, and dragged the surprised butler closer to him. “Don’t be,” he growled. “There are damn few people who don’t care who I am, Barb.” He pulled the butler into his lap, and buried his face into Barb’s neck. </p>
<p>Barb melted into Diavolo’s embrace, even as he cautioned him. “We can’t, Diavolo.”</p>
<p>Diavolo sighed into Barbatos’s neck. “One day, Barb. I’m going to have you.”</p>
<p>Barb smiled as he pulled himself free. “So you say,” teased the butler. “But I will never know, because I can’t See myself.” </p>
<p>Dia grinned, his tiredness forgotten. “So you CAN be surprised!” He laughed. </p>
<p>“That is very good to know.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Nathan Carmichael was mentioned in the first work of the series, Prelude of the Prophecy.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. CATS</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Starts with smut!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jen awoke the next morning spooned in Belphie’s embrace. It had been quite possibly the best night’s sleep she’s had in ages. She wiggled a little, trying to dig even further into the comfort of his arms. She heard a low chuckle, and his arms tightened around her.</p>
<p>“Good morning, doll,” he murmured into her ear. She was distracted from answering by the string of little nibbly kisses he started running down the back of her neck. He nipped at a particularly sensitive spot, and she gasped. He hummed in approval, and pressed his body tighter against her, his erection against her ass. She raised an arm and looped it behind her head, holding his face against her neck.</p>
<p>He lazily reached over her hip and ran his hand down the front of her panties, idly running his fingers back and forth over her clit. She huffed in frustration, and tried to grind her hips to get some friction. He let out a low laugh, and pulled his hand away altogether. He moved his hand to her hip and grabbed the waistband of her panties, and started slowly pulling them down her hips. She raised her hip off the bed to help, but he gave her a nip on her shoulder. “Relax, doll. I’m going to show you the fun parts of Sloth right now.” Curious, she relented and relaxed, letting him run the show. </p>
<p>He pushed her panties down further with his hand, then brought his knee up and used that to slowly move them down her legs, until he caught it with his foot to remove it altogether. The slow moves had her full attention, and she didn’t even realize that he had moved his hand until a feather light touch on her nipple made her suck in a breath.</p>
<p>He traced his finger lightly down from her nipple, down her side, and over her hip. She felt him adjusting behind her slightly, and groaned when he slid his erection between her thighs from behind. She expected him to enter her, but he surprised her again when he lazily pumped his hips, fucking her thighs, running his cock along her folds, her arousal lubing his way. </p>
<p>He moved his arm so he was holding her around her stomach, his hand tucked under her, hips never speeding up as he slowly drove her crazy. He moved his mouth to her ear, giving it a little nip before whispering, “Relax. Close your eyes,” he ordered. “Feel how light your body feels? Focus on that.” He ran a tongue lightly over the shell of her ear. <strong> “Relax”</strong></p>
<p>She felt a lethargy take over her body, and she realized that Belphegor was using his power on her. She didn’t feel like moving, and was content with the s l o w thigh fucking Belphie was giving her. She didn’t feel the need to chase her orgasm, she was happy to let him run the show. She sighed as his hand started wandering, grabbing her breast, stroking her nipple. She felt her eyes start to close as her body melted from his attention. She was very close to falling asleep.</p>
<p>Belphie felt the moment Jen had almost tipped over into sleep, and smirked. “And now, doll, <strong>wake up</strong>.”</p>
<p>Jen’s eyes snapped open, and she discovered her body was completely on fire with arousal, all nerve endings on alert. She gasped, and let out a loud moan as Belphie increased his pace, his dick sliding effortlessly through her soaked folds. </p>
<p>He reached down in front of her, and tweaked her clit.</p>
<p>Her orgasm barrelled through her, and she cried out his name as she arched her back. He pressed between her thighs one more time and found his release, groaning in relief. They lay together, entwined, for a few moments in silence.</p>
<p>“Holy fuck,” Jen whispered. She felt Belphie nod in agreement behind her. </p>
<p>“That was fucking hot, doll. You are amazing,” Belphie praised her, running his hands up and down her side.</p>
<p>She rolled over, facing him for the first time since they woke up. She raised a hand to push his sweaty hair out of his face. He utterly debauched, and she <em>loved</em> it.</p>
<p>He gave her a lazy smile. “I’ve had years to dream about what I want to do with you.” He leaned in and kissed her gently. “Reality is better.” She snuggled into him, and he wrapped his arms around her. He let out a tired sigh. </p>
<p>She leaned her face into his throat and gave it a small kiss. “I’m hopping in the shower, then I have to call Diavolo,” she told him, pushing herself up. He grumbled at her a little, but he was already almost asleep again. </p>
<p>------------------</p>
<p>“I think you had better check this guy out, Jen,” Diavolo told her. She had called him after getting dressed, and she was currently pacing her suite while Belphegor took his turn in the shower.</p>
<p>“I thought so,” she sighed. “Head’s up that I’m about to raid the treasury. This is going to take some wining and dining to pin him down.”</p>
<p>“I thought his church was just outside of town?” Diavolo asked her.</p>
<p>“It is, but according to what I’ve found on the internet, he’s never there. I need to find his stash.” </p>
<p>Diavolo made a humming noise. “I don’t like the idea of a necromancer’s influence in hell. Lots of dead to raise down here.” He went silent for a moment. “Investigate and record,” he ordered. “But YOU do not engage. It’s entirely possible that this guy is perfectly innocent of any crimes against hell.” He snorted. “And I can feel you roll your eyes from over here, Jen. Leave justice to the angels. We’re in the <em>revenge</em> business.” She laughed, as he had intended.</p>
<p>“Alright, I got it,” she laughed. Belphie walked up behind her, still damp from the shower, and wrapped his arms around her, laying his head on top of hers. So he heard every word of what happened next.</p>
<p>“So how’s it going making my heir?” Diavolo laughed. “Having a good time trying?” Jen felt Belphie stiffen behind her. </p>
<p>“Knock it off, Dia, you shit,” Jen told him. His laughter boomed in her ear, even as she hung up the phone.</p>
<p>“Heir?” Belphie asked, still snuggled into her back. She sighed.</p>
<p>“Yeah, he’s declaring the first kid I have with you guys as his heir.” Jen moved over to the couch and pulled him down to sit next to her. He leaned against her shoulder.</p>
<p>“Huh,” he said. He had honestly never thought about having a kid before, but he found himself not hating the idea. “Ok, then.”</p>
<p>She turned to him, surprised. “You’re not bothered by this?” Honestly, if she was in his shoes, she would’ve been. </p>
<p>“Nah. It makes sense. He needs an heir, his dad loves you, he loves us,” he stopped, grinned. “Well, <em>Lucifer</em> at least.” They both chuckled. “And it frees him up to actually rule and not be forced to court some vapid noble bitch. It’s genius, really.” He stood abruptly, well, as abruptly as Belphie ever moved. “I gotta go, doll. I’m following another thread, and can’t help with this one.” </p>
<p>She stood with him and gave him a hug. “No problem. Happy hunting.” He accepted her hug, then swung her back into a dip and kissed her deeply. He swung her back to her feet with a grin. He swaggered to the door, and placed his hand on the door. His smile got bigger when he felt a presence on the other side of the door. </p>
<p>He barely got the door unlocked when he was pushed out of the way of a pissed off Satan. Satan stormed past him straight to Jen. “Don’t you tell me that you’re ‘too mad’ to be around me!” he exploded at her. She glanced at Belphie over his shoulder, and glared as he saluted her and left, closing the door behind him.</p>
<p>She sighed and refocused her attention on the angry demon in front of her. “I’m sorry, Satan. I just didn’t want to make you uncomfortable,” she told him.</p>
<p>She watched in amazement as his temper turned off like a switch. He sighed and shook his head. “You idiot,” he told her, affectionately. “I have a better grasp on my Wrath than THAT.” He noticed that it looked like she was preparing to leave for the day. “Can I come?” he asked.</p>
<p>She swung a backpack over her shoulder. “It’s fieldwork. You up for it?” She looked at him with a raised eyebrow. He scoffed, placing his hand on his chest. </p>
<p>“Please. I do other things besides just <em>read</em>, you know!” He grabbed her other bag, and swung it over his shoulder. “Where are we headed first? The homeless embankment? The MMA gym?”</p>
<p>She walked past him, absently checking her D.D.D. one last time before leaving. “The Cat Cafe,” she said, not looking at him. She was halfway out the door before she realized that he wasn’t behind her. She turned curiously, and her jaw dropped when she saw the look of awe on his face. “What?” she asked, self-consciously.</p>
<p>He approached her slowly. “So you are telling me that you’re dynamite researcher, a fantastic detective, a sexy as fuck interrogator, AND you’re taking me to a <em>cat cafe?!</em>” She nodded, amused at his excitement.</p>
<p>“Well, fuck, woman. No wonder the guys are writing songs about your vagina.” He tossed a naughty look at her as they left the suite together. The guard on duty had turned an alarming shade of red after overhearing that last bit. </p>
<p><em>Whatever, dude,</em> Jen thought. <em>I saw you balls deep in your partner the other night.</em></p>
<p>“You’re ridiculous, you know that, right?” she told them as they entered the elevator. She reached over and adjusted the straps on the bag he carried. “But yes, we’re going to the Cat Cafe. The owner is an old friend, and knows everything worth knowing. If Nathan Carmichael is the necromancer we’re looking for, he’ll know it.” The elevator let them out into the private lobby, and they walked out into the daylight.</p>
<p>Satan followed her quietly as she negotiated her way through the crowded walkways, admiring her quiet confidence. “Is it far?” he asked, once they were able to walk side by side once more. </p>
<p>“No, but it’s on a side street off the Strip. It can be tricky to find if you don’t pay attention.” She took a turn down what looked like a utility corridor. Dumpsters and various slimes lined the walls, but still Jen didn’t slow. They emerged from the alley onto a pleasant side street lined with quaint shops and small restaurants. </p>
<p>She tipped a grin at Satan as they approached an unassuming shop. “Ready?” she teased. She opened the door and walked in. </p>
<p>An ancient human holding a very fluffy calico cat beckoned them in. “Come in! Come in! Have a seat! I will bring you tea!.” He let the cat jump out of his arms and busied himself in the small kitchen.</p>
<p>Jen immediately went to her favorite armchair. She shrugged off her backpack and scooped up the orange tabby sitting there and sat down. She watched in amusement as Satan took a seat across from her, looking around in amazement. She didn’t blame him. If there was ever an ideal setting for Satan, it was this cafe. </p>
<p>Overflowing bookshelves were everywhere, and almost just as many cats. As soon as he sat, a handsome tuxedo cat made himself at home on Satan’s lap and started purring. Satan petted him immediately, and Jen was halfway convinced that Satan would start purring soon.</p>
<p>The old man brought tea for three to the low table in front of them, and took a seat on a floor cushion next to it. He leaned forward and grabbed his tea, shooing an affectionate kitty away from him. “Well, Aunt Bert, I haven’t seen you in a while. It’s nice to see you.”</p>
<p>Jen looked at the old man with both sadness and affection. “Oh Griffin. I missed you, honey.” They smiled at each other, and that’s when Satan saw the resemblance.</p>
<p>“Is he really your nephew?” he asked, awed. Jen was very protective about her former life. </p>
<p>Jen smiled. “Yes, this is my nephew Griffin. I had a great plan of just disappearing, never to be heard from again.” Griffin snorted at this. “Griffin was 12? 13? when I left. He’s old now,” she teased.</p>
<p>Griffin took up the tale from there. “Yeah, Aunt Bert disappeared, and I couldn’t figure out what no one cared. No one even mentioned her ever again. It drove me crazy. Then I went to college, and blah blah blah, found out I had some magic, and I managed to track Aunt Bert down. She got mad at me, but what are you going to do?” The wizard shrugged, and continued to pet the cat in his lap.</p>
<p>“What the ‘blah blah blah’ covers is Solomon,” Jen told Satan, dryly. Satan snorted into his tea. </p>
<p>Griffin stood with a grace that was at odds with his apparent age. He walked to Jen and dropped a kiss on her head. “I’ll probably be gone the next time you need me,” he told her kindly. He brushed away the tear that suddenly appeared on her cheek. “No,” he said, firmly. “None of that. I have led a longer life than most, and it was a very good life, thanks to you.” He laid his cheek on top of Jen’s head, and stared at Satan. “Aunt Bert, do you know anyone who would be happy to own this little pocket dimension I’ve made when I am gone?”</p>
<p>Jen grinned over her tea cup at Satan. “I might know a guy. How portable is this place?”</p>
<p>Griffin stood straight up. “It’ll go to hell and back.” The two of them looked at Satan with equal mischief in their eyes.</p>
<p>“I’ll take it,” said Satan, quietly. The two incorrigibles grinned at him, and got back down to business.</p>
<p>“Griff, what do you know about Nathan Carmichael?” Jen asked him. Griffin snorted as he puttered around the cafe. </p>
<p>“Nothing good. What are you looking for a necromancer for anyway? They’re nasty pieces of work.” He refilled Satan’s tea cup.</p>
<p>“A necromancer is teaming up with witches and causing trouble,” sighed Jen. Satan snorted. As if blowing up a realm’s main port was only <em>trouble</em>.</p>
<p>Griffin stopped what he was doing. “That’s BAD. Witches are the Life, their magic is based on that. Necromancers are abominations of death. They don’t mix.” He patted Jen’s arm. “I’m sorry, Aunt Bert. But Nathan isn’t your guy. He hoards his power, and is desperately trying to stay OFF hell’s radar. He’s an asshole, but also a coward.” Jen slumped in her seat. “And,” Griffin kept going, relentlessly, “he’s not the one who destroyed your church. That’s on other people, who are now all dead.”</p>
<p>Jen blew out a breath. “Thanks, sweetheart. I needed that perspective.” She stood, and gave him a hug. “I love you, Griff, you know that, right?” she whispered.</p>
<p>Griffin hugged her back tightly. “I know. That’s the only thing that kept me in the light, you know. It’s very easy for a wizard to tip dark, but you helped, and I am beyond grateful.” He stepped back. “Well, Aunt Bert. It’s almost my time. I have it on good authority that I’m getting an angelic escort, and I want to flip them some shit for not contacting me all this time.” Jen grinned, Seren and Griffin were very close growing up.</p>
<p>Satan stood, and surprised Jen by bowing to the wizard. “Thank you, sir, for this gift. I shall treasure it always. Can you please leave me a name and description of each cat?” He stood, and accepted Griffin’s nod. “And now I have one last question, if you please.” Griffin cocked his head. “Why do you call her Aunt Bert?”</p>
<p>Griffin and Jen exchanged a look, and looked back at Satan and shrugged.</p>
<p>“Why not?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Isn't there always a weird family member that has a weird nickname that no one can ever remember why they HAVE a nickname? My poor Grandma Dusty.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Damn kids</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You’re going to confront Carmichael now, aren’t you?” sighed Satan, as they left the cat cafe. He held his arm out, and she tucked her hand into his elbow. </p>
<p>Walking side by side down an oddly picturesque street, she answered him. “Not him directly, not yet.” Jen pointed down an alley. “We need to walk through there to get back to the Strip.” They entered a dark and slimy alley, carefully making sure they didn’t slip in any of the muck. “I need to track him down, eventually. Necromancers are extremely territorial. He’ll know who our guy is.”</p>
<p>The alley ended, and it seemed like they burst into the light and chaos of the Las Vegas strip. They walked idly, arm in arm, in no particular direction. Jen noticed that Satan raised his face slightly to the sky, letting the desert sun hit his face. “Do you like the sunshine or the heat?” Jen asked, curiously.</p>
<p>She watched as a faint smile appeared on his face, erasing some of the ever present tension around his eyes. “It still feels novel to me,” he told her. “The sun was never something that just existed for me. I was born in the dark, in a dark realm.” He sighed, happy that he had someone by his side to listen to him. “Unlike you or my brothers, who grew up under the sun, my experiences make it more of a treat when I can see it.” He carefully maneuvered her around a couple of oblivious tourists. </p>
<p>Jen squeezed her hand on his arm in thanks. “Do you have plans this afternoon?” she asked. He shook his head. </p>
<p>“I cleared my day for you.” He gently guided her to alcove on the side of the sidewalk. He stepped in front of her and grabbed her face gently in his hands. He leaned down and kissed her very gently. “So I’m yours today.” A smirk grew to take over his face. “Also, I knew you were going to go crawling in the Vegas underbelly today, and I might get the chance to explode a little.”</p>
<p>She burst out laughing and pushed him away. “You’re absolutely correct, but no exploding until AFTER I get my answers, got it?” She grabbed his hand and pulled him back out onto the sidewalk.</p>
<p>---------------------------</p>
<p>Simeon sighed as he observed the crying, drunken blob that his friend had collapsed into. Simeon had received a text from Asmo, who had received a flurry of texts, snaps, and DMs about the situation. Asmo, uncharacteristically serious, had asked Simeon to perform an angelic intervention. </p>
<p>
  <strong>Asmo: He won’t answer me, Barbatos refuses to help. I can’t leave, but if he stays like that, demons WILL eat him. Please help him, Sim. Despite everything, he’s still just a human.</strong>
</p>
<p>Simeon approached the crying sorcerer, who was currently drowning his sorrows in the middle of Hell’s Kitchen, and gently laid his hand on the back of Solomon’s head. “Solomon, my friend. <strong>Come with me.</strong>” Simeon infused his words with a little Celestial magic. </p>
<p>Solomon slowly raised his head, his eyes red and bleary from drinking. “Can’t go an’where, Sim.” Simeon watched in mild horror as the normally suave sorcerer’s eyes teared up again, a tear running down his cheek. “Human realm is still too hot for me right now, and the Palace is mad at me. I’m not allowed back at the Celestial Realm.” He suddenly lunged into Simeon’s chest, causing the angel to wrap his arms protectively around his human friend. </p>
<p>Simeon sighed, his face softening into a kind smile. He raised an arm to gently smooth Solomon’s hair away from his face. “Come with me, friend,” he told the sorcerer. “You’re not banned from the Palace.” He raised his gaze to take in their surroundings. He noticed the cranky bartender rolling his sleeves up in an aggressive manner. “But you might be banned from here if you stay much longer.” He was suddenly struck with an idea.</p>
<p>“Come on, Solomon,” the angel coaxed. “We’re going to go somewhere safe.” He effortlessly arranged the drunken human so that he could support him as he stumbled out of the bar. </p>
<p>“Where’re we goin’?” slurred Solomon.</p>
<p>“We’re going to stay at Michael’s Devildom cottage.”</p>
<p>Solomon flopped his head to the side to regard his friend. “You’re gonna stay wi’ me?” Simeon didn’t know how he did it, but he managed to sound sad, hopeful, and pitiful all at the same time. </p>
<p>“Of course.”</p>
<p>-----------------------</p>
<p>Satan spent the afternoon in utter awe as he watched Jen in her element. She was a born detective, and it was a privilege to see how her mind worked. </p>
<p>He had assumed that they would be spending time talking to people in the lowest of places, in homeless camps or soup kitchens, or even people like mail carriers and meter readers. He did not expect the tact she took, nor the role she had assigned to him.</p>
<p>Not that he was complaining.</p>
<p>They were currently touring an afterschool program for pre-teens and teenagers, presenting themselves as a married couple looking to find a place for their fictional son. Apparently, said son was too invested in anime and video games, and hardly ever came out of his room. They were “concerned about his lack of social skills” and were trying to find a place he could come after school and make some “3D friends”. </p>
<p>Levi would kill both of them if he heard about this.</p>
<p>The director had barely batted an eye at how young they both appeared. Satan supposed that in a neighborhood like this, young parents were the norm. He watched in mild amazement as Jen talked the director into letting them tour the place without her, instead, letting one of the kids to show them around. Jen thanked the director profusely for her time, using just the right amount of flattery. The director nodded to them benignly, and with a last direction to their 12 year old tour guide, she disappeared into her office.</p>
<p>Once the director was safely locked behind a closed door, they faced their pint-sized guide. The dark haired girl’s expression changed from compliant to disgust in thirty seconds. She placed her hands on her hips, and looked at Satan and Jen with contempt. </p>
<p>Satan liked her immediately.</p>
<p>“Hey,” Jen greeted, sliding her hands into the pockets of her jeans, slouching slightly. </p>
<p>“Ugh,” replied the girl. “Let me guess, <em>missionaries.</em>” She pretended to spit on the ground. “We don’t need your bullshit around here anymore.”</p>
<p>Satan watched Jen’s face as she grasped the meaning of that statement. “Nope, no one’s God-fearing here. What do you mean, anymore? Why were they allowed access to you guys?”</p>
<p>The girl narrowed her eyes at both of them. “You’re not missionaries?”</p>
<p>“Nope,” Jen answered. </p>
<p>“You have nothing to do with a church?” she asked. </p>
<p>“Nope,” Jen answered again. </p>
<p>The girl nodded. “Ok, then. Let’s show you around.” She spun so her back was to the two adults. “I’m Linds. Not Lindsey. <em>Linds</em>.” She walked briskly down the hallway. Jen and Satan shared an amused glance and followed the tiny dynamo. </p>
<p>“Here’s the gym,” Linds waved her hand at the door as she sped by it. “And here’s the bathrooms,” she gestured without stopping, “and here is the best room.” She slowed, and entered what looked to be a classroom. A herd of early adolescents were gathered around a table, sheets of paper and cards scattered among them. Linds skipped to what was clearly her chair at the table. “And thus ends your tour. See ya later.” She turned to her table mates, “What did I miss?”</p>
<p>Satan looked to Jen curiously, willing to follow her lead, but still not knowing what to do with this. Jen simply smiled, and signaled for him to wait. </p>
<p>“WOAH!” Jen exclaimed. “Is that the new edition of Wizards and Warriors?! I’ve been wanting to see the new book FOREVER!” She edged closer to the table, making sure to keep her focus on the book, and not the kids. Linds scoffed and rolled her eyes, but the boys at the table looked up in interest. </p>
<p>“Yeah!” exclaimed one boy. “We got super lucky and a donor sent it to the center. We’re trying to figure it out. Wanna see?” He and the rest of the boys pulled Jen to the couch and surrounded her, telling her about the finer points of the latest tabletop RPG to be released. Satan watched, enchanted with her obvious joy with the children. </p>
<p>“Oh wow, you really gone on her, aren’t you?” came a snarky voice from right next to him. Satan looked down and to his side at the sassy girl standing next him.</p>
<p>Satan had no idea how to deal with kids. So he responded the way he would’ve responded to anyone. He looked at her and nodded. “She is everything,” he told the child solemnly. </p>
<p>Satan didn’t realize it, but by treating Linds as an equal and not brushing her off as a child, he had earned an ally for life. Linds leaned back on her heels and nodded. “Come here. They’re going to be FOREVER,” she said. She led him to the table and sat down. He joined her. </p>
<p>“I thought you played?” Satan asked her, eyebrow raised. </p>
<p>She flushed a little in embarrassment. “Well,” she hedged. “They wouldn’t hang out with me otherwise. I don’t like playing that game.” She hunched her shoulders and looked ashamed. “I just wanted to be part of this, you know?” She stared at an invisible spot on the table. “I’m like them,” she said, gesturing behind her, “but not LIKE them, at the same time, you know?” She kicked her foot listlessly. “I just want to fit in,” she said softly. </p>
<p>Well, hell, Satan certainly understood THAT. </p>
<p>“You’ll get there,” Satan encouraged her. “You’re on the right track. Forcing yourself into their space is a good first step. Make your own space at the table.” He smiled encouragingly at her. </p>
<p>She looked surprised. “What’s your name?”</p>
<p>“Satan.”</p>
<p>She laughed merrily. “Seriously?!”</p>
<p>He grinned. “My father picked it out. He’s a jerk.”</p>
<p>Linds continued to giggle. “Well, <em>Satan,</em> most people would say to be myself, and not adapt to the boys.” </p>
<p>“Yeah? How’d that work for you?” Satan asked with a grin. </p>
<p>“It didn’t.” Linds smiled at him. “I bet it didn’t work for you either. That’s why you tell the truth.” She grinned wider, not needing an answer from him. He grinned back. </p>
<p>From across the room, surrounded by boys, Jen watched Satan interact with the prickly girl. She felt her heart swell as she watched him smile and laugh. He was doing so well. </p>
<p>“-and besides, everyone knows that necromancers are creepy freaks, why would they make them a class in the game?!” Jen’s ears perked up at the stray argument from two of the boys. </p>
<p>“How do you know that necromancers are creepy?” she teased. </p>
<p>The boys all got very excited and started talking all over each other. Jen was about to step in and try another tactic, when a piercing whistle split the air. Everyone stopped and turned around. </p>
<p>Linds stood behind them, hands on her hips, head cocked to the side. Satan stood behind her. He and Jen exchanged an amused look before turning their attention to the tiny power cell in front of them. </p>
<p>“What they <em>meant</em> to say is that the person you’re looking for lives the next neighborhood over.” Jen looked at Linds in surprise. Linds just rolled her eyes. </p>
<p>“You literally brought frickin <em>Satan</em> here, <em>of course</em> you want to find the necromancer. I’m not <em>stupid!</em>” she told Jen. </p>
<p>“That’s true!” piped up one of the boys. “Linds is the smartest person in school!” Linds flushed slightly, and Satan patted her on the shoulder. </p>
<p>“Thanks, Satan,” she said, dryly, making the two adults grin. She walked over to the table and grabbed a pencil and a character sheet. “I’m not sure of the address, but this is the street.” She scribbled down something and handed it to Satan. “The adults don’t like us over there.”</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Jen told her, and was promptly swarmed by the boys, all of them begging her to come visit again. Satan reached out and shook Lins’s hand. </p>
<p>“Watch that temper,” he warned her with a small smile. She gave him a cocky grin back. </p>
<p>Jen extricated herself from the boys and moved to Satan’s side. “Thank you for your help, all.” They waved at the kids and walked through the center to the exit. </p>
<p>“You were very good with her,” Jen told him as they left the building. He held his arm out for her and she tucked her hand into it. They had almost made it to the rental car before Satan answered. </p>
<p>“You are a natural with children, Jen.” He frowned at her shrug as he opened the passenger door for her. He settled her into her seat, and he leaned in, elbow hooked on the open car door. “I mean it. Just because you’re a parent, doesn’t make you good with kids.” He stole a kiss, and closed the car door. </p>
<p>He came around the car and slid into the driver’s seat. Once he had closed the door and buckled his seat belt, he turned to Jen. “I overheard some of your conversation with Belphegor this morning,” he smirked a little. “We need to start working on a baby, I hear?”</p>
<p>She rolled her eyes. “There’s no hurry, you know.” But the look on his face made her breath catch. “How do you feel about that?” she asked, as he backed the car smoothly out of the parking lot. </p>
<p>He didn’t answer her for a while, although he did reach out and entangle his fingers with hers on the center console. He eased onto the freeway, and sped expertly through the afternoon traffic. Eventually, Jen started to notice they were headed nowhere she was familiar with. </p>
<p>“Where are we going?” she asked quietly, sensing that he needed the quiet just then. The desert bloomed in front of them, its muted beauty drawing her in. </p>
<p>“I have a place I go when I’m here,” he told her, just as quietly. “I want to show it to you.”</p>
<p>She stayed quiet, even as he turned off the freeway and traveled down a dirt track, into the badlands of the desert. He carefully drove the car through the twisty track, carefully not hitting any of the divots in the dirt. He eventually slowed, and parked the car under a skeletal tree. He unbuckled his seat belt and walked around the car to open her door. He held her hand as she stood, shutting the car door behind her. </p>
<p>He led her past the car, and stood aside as her eyes took in the majesty before her. A crater the size of a football field lay before her, like a mini canyon. She could see each layer of rock, marking the age of the earth, in the walls of the crater. It was breathtaking. </p>
<p>It was also heartbreaking. </p>
<p>“You made this,” Jen said to Satan. It wasn’t a question. She knew, without a doubt, she was looking at the physical manifestation of Satan’s Wrath. </p>
<p>“I did,” he confirmed, moving behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. He set his chin on the top of her head. “I was ten years old.”</p>
<p>THAT shocked her. “Oh, sweetheart. You must have been terrified,” she murmured. </p>
<p>“Hmm, no. Not really,” he told her. “I was pretty pissed off. My brothers were all dealing with their own changes, and Lucifer had to deal with all of that AND me?” He scoffed lightly. “It was a nightmare all around.” He squeezed her tighter. “Lucifer finally just got plain tired of trying to calm me down, so he asked Diavolo for permission to come here and just let me blow off some steam. It was the first time my brothers had seen the human realm since they Fell, and they had to watch me blow it up.” He sighed, but it wasn’t a sad sigh. “I finally felt like I did something correctly, when I turned around and saw the respect on my brothers’ faces.” He pulled away from her and lightly turned her around to face him. “This is where I found my acceptance.” He bent slightly, and kissed her gently. </p>
<p>He straightened. “You asked me how I felt about becoming a parent?” He touched her cheek lightly. “In our case, we’ll be dealing with a child who is made of all three realms. There will be no guidebook for this. I’m terrified. I’m excited. I also know that I couldn’t ask for a better mother for the child. And I’m damn glad the seven of us will be co-fathers. Our child will not be abandoned to the Court.” He kissed her gently again. </p>
<p>Jen’s eyes sparkled with joy as she heard his words. But still… “Why are you always so gentle with me?” she asked him. “Your kisses, your hugs, you’re always so careful.” She startled when she saw a glimmer in his eyes. She stepped toward the car out of instinct. </p>
<p>“Do you want more from me, Jen?” He purred at her, so low it may as well have been a growl. He took a purposeful step toward her, laughing mockingly as she took another step away. “Then… RUN.” </p>
<p>As quick as a bunny, she ran toward the car, an inhuman growl sounding behind her. She didn’t dare look back. </p>
<p>She was almost to the car when something plowed into her back. “Caught you,” he growled into her ear. She shivered at the low tones in his voice. She soon found herself face down on the hood of the car, bent at the waist. “Tell me no now,” he growled. “Or tell me you want this.”</p>
<p>“I want you!” she gasped. An approving growl answered her. </p>
<p>She was roughly turned over on her back, still on the hood of the car. Jen gaped at the demon form of Satan, his tail twitching behind him. “Undo your jeans,” he growled. </p>
<p>Shaking, she did as she was told, and he wasted no time in grabbing them and pulling them to just below her knees. She went to toe her shoes off and remove her jeans the rest of the way, but he growled at her to stop. </p>
<p>“Bend your knees,” he ordered, “hold them to your chest.” She complied, and suddenly felt trapped, as her raised knees now exposed her wet pussy to the world. He made a growly sound of approval, and lazily reached out and ran a single finger through her wet folds. “Yesss,” he hissed. “So wet for me. But what about here?” </p>
<p>He used his other hand to push her legs up further, while his finger traveled to her perfect asshole. She whimpered in anticipation. “No, I won’t play here. Maybe one day. Not today.” And he suddenly plunged two fingers into her wet pussy. She gasped at the sudden intrusion, and her gasps quickly turned into moans. “Like that?” He asked. “How about this then?”</p>
<p>He removed his fingers and scooted her to the edge of the car hood. He helped lower her legs, then he turned her around so that she was face down on the hood. He quickly released his cock from his pants, and entered her from behind. They both groaned at how good it felt, and he roughly fucked her against the hood of the car. </p>
<p>He came first, with a shuddering “fuck…”, but that didn’t mean he was done. He reached around her to rub roughly at her clit, listening to her moans, groans, and “oh, FUCKs” and damn near coming again. When she did come, it was with a scream, and the contractions of her tight pussy surprised him by pulling another orgasm out of him. </p>
<p>He collapsed onto her back, and he brushed the hair away from her face. “You’re the best, Jen.” He told her softly. </p>
<p>She smirked, even smushed into the hood of the car as she was. “I know,” she said. </p>
<p>He chuckled and pulled away. He smirked when he saw her realize that there was nothing to clean up with. He bent down, and pulled up her jeans, laughing out right at the look on her face. “Don’t,” she warned him. “It’s freaking squishy down there.”</p>
<p>He leaned in and purred in her ear. “I like that you have to feel me all the way back to town.” He smiled at her sudden flush, and helped her into the car.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Oh, man, did I have writer’s block bad this week.  I had a billion plot bunnies, but none for this story! I finally had to force myself to sit down, and then the words finally poured out.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Sleep</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A nice fluffy interlude</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Simeon hoisted the drunken human through the door of the cottage, and onto a nearby couch. Solomon grunted when he landed, and Simeon couldn’t stop himself from a small smile. He had never seen his friend this way before. </p>
<p>Simeon tossed a blanket over the human, and walked into the kitchen to make his call. Michael was going to find this hilarious. He leaned against the counter as he closed his eyes and sought out a mental connection with his archangel.</p>
<p><em>Simeon?</em> Michael answered, slightly concerned. Simeon hardly ever reached out via mental link, the angel much preferring face-to-face contact. </p>
<p><em>Hello, Michael!</em> replied a  cheerful Simeon. <em>I’m borrowing your cottage in the Devildom for a bit!</em> He sent a mental image of Solomon and quickly updated the archangel on what he knew so far. He grinned when he could feel Michael's gloating on the other end.</p>
<p><em>I’ve been waiting for 3000 years for this,</em> gloated Michael. <em>Maybe he’ll be in a better frame of mind to listen to us now. You can use the cottage,</em> Michael granted, <em>But be sure to clean it up. Reggath and I have a house guest joining us soon, and I want him to be as comfortable as possible. </em> Michael cut the connection, no doubt already turning to the next problem at hand.</p>
<p>Simeon pushed himself off the counter and walked back over to the couch. He crouched down near Solomon’s head, and pushed the sorcerer’s hair back with his hand. Solomon had finally fallen into a deep sleep, his face stained with tear tracks. Simeon softly lowered his forehead to Solomon’s and sighed.</p>
<p>“You are more than this,” he told the sleeping sorcerer.</p>
<p>------------------------</p>
<p>Satan had driven them back to the Bellagio, smugly smirking every time Jen shifted uncomfortably in her seat. When they arrived in the suite, he stopped her from running immediately to his shower by making sure he introduced her to Jeeves, the human butler.</p>
<p>“Charmed.” Jeeves looked down his nose at his fellow human, unimpressed with the wrinkled mess he saw in front of him. Jen saw Satan’s temper start to rise in response, so she grabbed him quickly and gave him a giant sloppy kiss to distract him. She hoped Jeeves would take the opportunity to disappear before she had to come up for air.</p>
<p>A ding on both of their D.D.Ds brought them out of their kiss (Jeeves, apparently having a small sense of self-preservation afterall, had disappeared). Jen had a text from Diavolo asking for a check in, and Satan had a request for consultation from Belphie. They gave each other a quick goodbye kiss, and Satan left the suite to meet Belphie at who knew where.<br/>Jen decided that Diavolo could wait until after she had a shower. Not wanting to waste the time to head back to her hotel, she wandered the suite, looking for a likely bedroom with an attached bath. </p>
<p>She hit paydirt on the third door she opened. An elegant and tasteful bedroom revealed itself to her, and she could see a bathroom through a slightly open door across the room. She stepped into the room and headed straight for the bathroom. </p>
<p>Surprisingly, she found the bathroom to be a little basic, and not at all the sumptuous feast for the senses like the rest of the Brothers’ suite. As a result, she felt much more comfortable making herself at home and stealing liberally from the occupant’s toiletries. </p>
<p>She took a long and thorough shower, and eyed the detached bathtub, wondering if she had time for a long soak. She sighed when her sense of duty reminded her that she had a call to make. </p>
<p>Jen wrapped a towel around her hair, and another around her body, and went into the bedroom to see what clothes she could steal. She walked over to the modest wardrobe standing in a corner and opened it. She grinned at the sight in front of her, and dropped the towel from  around her body. </p>
<p>-----------------</p>
<p>Lucifer walked into the suite, utterly exhausted. He hadn’t slept in the last three days, despite Asmo’s admonishment that he do so. He hoped the others had something worthwhile to show for their time here, because he was almost tapped out. </p>
<p>Jeeves greeted him as he entered. “Master,” the butler intoned as he bowed. “How may I be of service this evening?” </p>
<p>Lucifer handed the butler his suit jacket, and unbuttoned the wrists of his shirt. As he rolled his sleeves up his forearms, he spoke to the snobby butler. “Nothing at the moment, Jeeves. Is anyone else in?”</p>
<p>Jeeves gave a snooty sniff before answering. “No one except your new <em>associate,</em> Master.”</p>
<p>Lucifer narrowed his eyes at the butler. While he always appreciated the hit of Pride that he always received from the snobbish butler, he would not tolerate disrespect. “The Lady Jen is as much mistress of this place as my Brothers and I are masters, do I make myself clear?” He kept his tone civil, but he let his eyes flash ominously. </p>
<p>Jeeves took a discrete step back and bowed in submission. “Perfectly, Master. It will be as you say.” </p>
<p>Lucifer glared at him a moment longer. “That will be all tonight, Jeeves. Most likely my Brothers will be out the rest of the evening.” He dismissed the butler, and waited for him to exit the suite. </p>
<p>He immediately regretted not asking Jeeves where exactly Jen was. He would have liked to see her before he passed out for the night. He hadn’t seen her since they had first arrived a few days ago. </p>
<p>Sighing in exhaustion, he walked down the hallway to his bedroom. He slowed as he heard a voice. He slowly opened the door to his room, and became almost light-headed after seeing what was on his bed took his breath away. </p>
<p>Sitting against his headboard, with her beautiful legs stretched out in front of her, was the one person in the worlds he most wanted to see. Jen was dressed in one of his button-down shirts, which came down almost to her knees. Her legs were bare, and he almost swooned, <em>swooned!</em>, when he saw her toes curled onto his comforter. </p>
<p>Holy hell, he was tired, he realized. </p>
<p>She was currently on what sounded like a contentious phone call, but when she looked up at the door and saw him, her face bloomed into a giant smile. </p>
<p><em>For him</em>.</p>
<p>He remembered the years he had despaired over the fact that she never smiled at him, saving her smiles for his brothers. </p>
<p>He smiled softly back, understanding that she was working. He walked slowly across the room. </p>
<p>Jen had been arguing good-naturedly with Diavolo over whether or not to confront Carmichael, when a noise at the bedroom door made her look up. Lucifer stood at the door, slightly surprised to see her. She could see the exhaustion in his face, but through that his genuine happiness to see her. She smiled at him while she talked to Diavolo, and he walked slowly over to the bed, exhaustion in every step. </p>
<p>Keeping her smile on her face, she switched to the code she had overheard Barbatos and Diavolo develop over the years to deal with an overworked Lucifer. </p>
<p>“Zombies are a problem in that area,” she told him, interrupting his current sentence. She heard a chuckle on the other end of the line. She patted the bed next to her, signaling to Lucifer to lay down next to her. </p>
<p>As Lucifer crawled onto the bed, Diavolo answered her, aware that Lucifer would hear him. “True, but a couple of headshots knock them out pretty easily.” Jen gently maneuvered herself and Lucifer so that he laid flat alongside her, resting his head on her lap. She started to gently run her fingers through his hair. </p>
<p>“Sure, that’s effective, but only for a moment. We need a solution that will incapacitate them for hours,” she said, slowly petting the quiet demon on her lap. </p>
<p>“In the past, we’ve always used a potion or two, but I think that would probably place an obstacle in your near future goals,” Diavolo said with a chuckle. </p>
<p>She suppressed a grin as Lucifer shifted onto his stomach, throwing his arm over her lap and around her hip, snuggling her close. She kept her strokes even and unhurried through his hair. “So I need to find a solution more tailored to my unique needs, in otherwords?” She smiled faintly as a light snore reached her ears. “Actually, now that you say it, the situation seems to have resolved itself.”</p>
<p>Diavolo laughed, quietly, not wanting to awaken Lucifer any more than she did. “Good night, Jen. Call me tomorrow and we’ll finish our original conversation.”</p>
<p>She bid him goodnight, and hung up her device. Making sure she kept one hand stroking Lucifer’s hair, she set her D.D.D. to silent and sent a group message out to everyone minus Lucifer. </p>
<p>
  <strong>Jen: Lucifer’s asleep, no one be a dick when you come in tonight.</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Mammon: FINALLY. I thought we’d have to get him drunk again</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Asmo: My sweet arugula, are you with him?</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Levi: fucking arugula?</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Jen: yeah</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Beel: I’ll crash at your place. I won’t be back until late tonight</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Levi: I’m working, and won’t be back until tomorrow afternoon. </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Mammon: same</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Satan: Belphegor and I are on a trace right now, we’ll be in touch, but we’ll largely be offline until tomorrow night. </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Asmo: I will be returning to the suite, but I’ll go straight to my room, my shutterfly. </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Jen: you are ridiculous </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Jen: but thank you </strong>
</p>
<p>She tossed her D.D.D. to the side, and regarded the exhausted demon in her lap. He had turned his head slightly and she could now see the bags that had formed under his eyes. </p>
<p>Even in his exhaustion, he took her breath away. </p>
<p>She soon found herself matching his breathing with her own, growing more and more drowsy herself. Her head started to nod. </p>
<p>“Lay down before you cramp your neck,” a voice mumbled at her from her lap. Strong hands tugged at her until she found herself laying on her back, a drowsy Lucifer curled around her, with his head on his chest, and his arm and a leg wrapped around her. </p>
<p>“Keep petting me?” he asked softly. </p>
<p>She smiled and started running her fingers through his hair once more. </p>
<p>Hours later, Asmo stuck his head through the open bedroom door, and smiled at the sight of his two favorite people wrapped around each other in sleep, impossible to see where one started and the other began. </p>
<p>He smiled as he closed the door, his heart full.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Catch Up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>What were the other Brothers doing while Jen got Lucifer to sleep</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>This is so undignified,</em> Satan thought to himself, as he slid himself on his stomach and under the trash compactor. When Belphegor had asked for his assistance, he did not expect to be swimming in alley slime to give it. </p>
<p>With a grunt, he pulled himself through the muck to the opening between the wall and the ground that Belphie insisted existed. He wanted to call out to Belphie to ask how he knew this place existed in the first place, but he didn’t want a mouth full of slime for his trouble. </p>
<p>Soon enough, his outstretched hand found the edge of the opening. Using the lip in the concrete, he pulled himself up to the edge. He silently called his familiar, and a small Little D arrived at his elbow, waiting for a command. </p>
<p>He silently instructed the Little D to descend below and determine that it was clear of any other inhabitants. He wasn’t worried about his safety, or Belphegor’s, but the less fuss, the better. </p>
<p>The Little D blinked in acceptance, and slithered into the void. Soon, the little familiar popped into position at Satan’s side, silently indicating that there was no life below. Satan nodded his thanks, and the Little D folded away. </p>
<p>With a silent grunt, Satan pulled himself into the hole, and slid in, head first. He quickly spun his body during the fall so that he landed on his feet. He stepped quickly to the side to give Belphegor room to land. </p>
<p>He quickly muttered an incantation, and the room slowly lit up via his witch lights. He turned in time to see Belphie land elegantly onto his feet. With a wave of his hand, he cleaned up most of the gunk off of both of them. </p>
<p>“Thanks,” Belphie muttered. “I could’ve used that earlier.” He shook himself and looked around the room. “What do you think?”</p>
<p>Satan looked as well, and saw the messily drawn mage arcana on the brick walls, noting that they went no higher than five feet. Among the squiggly circles and lines made of chalk on the floor, there were hopscotch squares and idle doodles of dogs and cats made out of circles and stick figures. The table in the room held various detritus of childhood: a worn teddy bear, a broken toy car, some dolls, a worn blanket. </p>
<p>He looked at Belphie, incredulously. “A kid?”</p>
<p>Belphie nodded, grimly. “I was hunting, and I saw this asshole harassing some street kids. I was going to interfere, when I saw a kid air sketch a ward. Asshole went flying, and the kids went running. I followed them here, and I called you.” He looked carefully at the floor. “Is it safe for us to be in here?”</p>
<p>Satan had been studying the symbols in the circles. “It should be. None of the circles are closed. Watch your step, though.” He walked carefully, observing the symbols sketched in a juvenile hand. He murmured a cantrip, one that would reveal the <em>flavor</em> of the magic. </p>
<p>He inhaled quickly, tasting his answer. “Belphegor.”</p>
<p>Belphie looked up sharply at Satan’s tone. “What?”</p>
<p>Satan rolled the unfamiliar-familiar flavor in his mouth. “It’s necromancy, but not.” Belphie watched as Satan struggled to find the words to explain himself. “It’s not as… dark? Like it’s not really necromancy, but more like if Solomon tried his hand at it.” He hummed to himself, tapping his fingers against his chin.  “It’s unique, that’s for certain.”</p>
<p>Belphie picked his way through the chalk, seeing the forensic details that Satan didn’t. The tracks throughout the chalk dust indicated at least four small humans frequented the small room. While the chalk circles were all drawn by the same hand, the other pictures were drawn by several small hands. He had reached a wall where a ragged curtain hung. </p>
<p>He reached up and gently pulled the curtain aside, revealing a small alcove. On the floor of the alcove was a pile of blankets and pillows, and a small stool. Belphie, recognizing a bed when he saw it, let the curtain fall back, reluctant to violate a child’s safe place. </p>
<p>As the curtain fell, his eyes landed on a marking on the wall. His eyes narrowed after he studied the crude sketch. “Satan,” he called. </p>
<p>“One second, Belphegor, I’m sending a picture of this glyph to Asmodeus.” Satan quickly sent the pic to Asmo and slid his device back in his pocket. He looked over to where Belphie was pointing. </p>
<p>“Well, that explains some of the story, doesn’t it?” His phone buzzed in his pocket. “Take a picture of that, would you?” he asked as he took his D.D.D. out of his pocket to read Asmo’s reply. </p>
<p>
  <strong>Asmo: Who on earth drew that? It’s a mess! </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Asmo: It’s Astroneth’s sigil, but that squiggle in the east quadrant calls on progeny, not the head</strong>
</p>
<p>Satan sighed. That’s what he was afraid of. </p>
<p>In the meantime, Belphie was having his own conversation with Mammon. </p>
<p>
  <strong>Mammon: where’d you find a witchmark?</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Belphie: Any idea which coven?</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Mammon: nah, and that means it’s a baby coven. Rare. Be careful</strong>
</p>
<p>Belphie gazed over the room, with its childish scribbles and toys. </p>
<p><em>Baby coven is right,</em> thought Belphie. </p>
<p>Satan called for his attention. “Belphegor, I’d like to watch for the kids tonight. Is there a place close by to watch?”</p>
<p>Belphie nodded. “There’s an alcove across the alley. Hope you’re ready to get dirty again. I don’t want to use magic or powers in here.”</p>
<p>Satan sighed and followed Belphie to the hole, resigning himself to waiting all night in a stinking alley. </p>
<p>Maybe he’d get lucky and a cat would come by.  </p>
<p>After they slid back through the muck and settled down for a long wait, their devices dinged. Jen was informing them that Lucifer finally crashed. They both chuckled at the scolding tone in her text. </p>
<p>The sound of tentative footsteps from further in the alley reached their ears. They both held their breath and Satan erected a tiny ward to hide their presence. Some whispers floated to them, quickly hushed by other voices. Belphie and Satan sat, still as statues, waiting to see the children. </p>
<p>Four children, all wearing hoodies with the hoods covering their heads and faces, crept into sight. One was clearly in charge, and was making sure the others were safe. They reached the trash compactor across the alley from the two demons, and the one in charge grabbed a lever and swung an access door open, giving a slime-free walkway to the hole in the wall. </p>
<p>Satan cut his eyes at Belphegor, and the Avatar of Sloth had the grace to look a little embarrassed. </p>
<p>The kid in charge ushered the others ahead of them, and absent-mindedly pushed their hair back from their face, causing their hood to fall back. </p>
<p>Satan stood abruptly, waiving away the shield spell and startling the shit out of Belphie. </p>
<p>“Linds.”</p>
<p>————————</p>
<p>Mammon was bored out of his mind.</p>
<p>Most beings would be shocked to hear that the Avatar of Greed actually kind of hated Las Vegas, the gambling mecca of the world, but he did. </p>
<p>It was too easy here. </p>
<p>The greed was seeping into the ground, into the very foundations of this city, but it was a transient kind of thing. Like fast food. </p>
<p>It fed him, but it didn’t <em>nourish</em> him. So he stored it in the suite, and went looking for bigger prey.</p>
<p>The casino conglomerate CEO and board he and Lucifer had set up the last time they were here was hoarding their wealth nicely. Asmo said that the receptionist he installed at their front desk was sliding into their beds on a regular basis, quietly taking notes for a tell-all novel to be released soon. </p>
<p>That’s when the whole thing would collapse into a messy, greedy, salacious tangle. All seven of the Brothers would profit when they fell. </p>
<p>The humans would only have themselves to blame. </p>
<p>But that plan wasn’t quite ripe yet, so Mammon was a bit at a loss of where to go. His usual standby, the megachurches, were a little tapped dry at the moment, due to a current cultural aversion toward excess in worship. (Mammon gave that another year or so before the fad came back. Humans loved to show off) He didn’t want to go back to the suite since Lucifer FINALLY fell asleep. </p>
<p>Maybe he could go crash with Beel until tomorrow afternoon. </p>
<p>His D.D.D. dinged. Happy to have a distraction, he checked his notification. </p>
<p>
  <strong>Levi: I’m bored AF.</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Mammon: Thought you were working</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Levi: ugh </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Levi: no</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Levi: Just don’t wanna wake up Lucifer</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Levi: Wanna hang out at Jen’s?</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Mammon: yeah. Meet ya there.</strong>
</p>
<p>Hands in his pockets, Mammon started whistling as he walked down the Strip to the Paris. </p>
<p>————————</p>
<p>Beel was stretched out on a couch in Jen’s massive suite at the Paris. He liked this place. It was soothing, and not at all the garish loudness the Bellagio suite was.</p>
<p>The staff had just been in to clean up after his room service order, and he was ready to settle in and watch an American football game on the television. He reached into the bucket on the floor next to him and grabbed a bottle of beer. </p>
<p>He liked coming here, with all of the gluttony going on around him, he could actually settle down and enjoy a beer or two. Or six. </p>
<p>He had just cracked open his beer, when there was a bit of a commotion at the door of the suite. Feeling the energy of his brothers, he grinned to himself as he took a sip of his beer. At least he wouldn’t be bored tonight. </p>
<p>Mammon and Levi scuffled into the room, goading each other and generally flipping each other shit. They both grinned when they saw Beel stretched out on the couch and the two of them plopped down in the armchairs across from him. </p>
<p>Mammon raised an eyebrow at the beer bucket. “Ya in the mood to share, or should we order our own?” </p>
<p>Beel nodded genially. “Help yourselves.”</p>
<p>Mammon leaned down and grabbed two, tossing one to Levi, who frowned at him. “Aw, fuck you, Mammon, now I have to wait until it settles before I open it and you guys already have yours, and - “</p>
<p>“Calm down, ya idiot. Walk over and grab yourself one, then,” Mammon interrupted. Opening his beer he sat back in his chair, getting ready to watch the football game. </p>
<p>Levi smothered a sigh, knowing that Mammon was right. He grabbed his own beer and also settled in to watch the game. </p>
<p>Aside from the occasional cheer or shout at the tv, the brothers sat in companionable silence. It was only after the first quarter was complete that Levi brought up what they were all thinking. </p>
<p>“I’m pretty much tapped out here,” he said. “How much longer are we gonna stay?”</p>
<p>“Belphie, Satan, and Jen are all still working on stuff,” Beel told them. </p>
<p>“Yeah, but I think Jen hit a Diavolo-shaped roadblock,” Mammon told them. “We’ll see if Lucifer can distract her tomorrow.” The three demons chuckled. </p>
<p>“So one more night, maybe?” Levi asked. He was getting antsy this far away from a decent sized body of water. “Then back to Jen’s?” </p>
<p>Mammon nodded. “Yeah, unless Belphie and Satan come up with somethin’ or Diavolo calls us back.”</p>
<p>The three demons collapsed back into silence, enjoying their beer, football, and each other’s company.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Pride and Fall</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Order of events:<br/>Light angst<br/>Heavy smut<br/>GRAPHIC VIOLENCE</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Solomon opened his eyes, groaned, and immediately closed them again. Why was hell so fucking bright? He yawned and immediately regretted it. His mouth tasted like a toilet, and the fresh air made it worse. He tried sitting up, but his head started pounding.</p>
<p>What on earth did he do to himself?</p>
<p>And he had no doubts that this is all self-inflicted. There was no way that he would let anyone close enough to inflict this awful on him. He didn’t even know where he was. </p>
<p>He had no other choice. </p>
<p>He had to do what needed to be done.</p>
<p>Solomon let out a tortured whine, hoping whoever’s couch he appeared to be crashed on was benevolent.</p>
<p>A light chuckle greeted him. “I bet you feel just <em>awful</em> today, my friend.”</p>
<p>Solomon sat straight up on the couch quickly, risking a quick peek through his aching eyes. “Simeon?” He closed his eyes and slouched against the back of the couch. “Oh, thank goodness. I thought I’d finally pissed off the wrong father.”</p>
<p>“No doubt he would only be mad because you slept with him as well, once upon a time,” Simeon said.</p>
<p>Reminded of the whole reason he was in this awful state in the first place, Solomon groaned once more, falling back against the cushions. Simeon grinned at him, and continued to needle him.</p>
<p>“What a tragedy. The most prolific lover since Cassanova and Don Juan passed from existence has been brought low.” Solomon opened an eye and glared at Simeon, who wasn’t planning on shutting up anytime soon. “You should take this time to learn an instrument. Keep your hands busy.”</p>
<p>Simeon watched as what little fight was left in his friend drained out of him. “...but how do I keep the emptiness busy?” Solomon asked him quietly.</p>
<p>Simeon smiled a smile only an angel can produce. “That’s why I’m here, my friend.”</p>
<p>“We’ll figure it out. Together.”</p>
<p>-----------------</p>
<p>Jen couldn’t move. She had apparently fallen asleep with a clingy octopus. She was pinned down and held tight. </p>
<p>She waited for the inevitable panic to hit her, and was pleasantly surprised when it did not. </p>
<p><em>Guess constant exposure therapy works,</em> she thought. </p>
<p>She slowly opened her eyes, only to see a brick wall of a chest an inch from her nose. Lucifer had passed out fully dressed last night, and a couple of buttons on his shirt were pressed uncomfortably into her face. She tried to pull away, only to be squeezed even tighter. </p>
<p>“Don’t go,” Lucifer pleaded softly. He wasn’t really awake, not yet, she realized. </p>
<p>“Just to the bathroom, and I’ll be back,” she promised. </p>
<p>He reluctantly loosened his arms, still in that place between sleep and awake. She slid out of his embrace, and walked quickly to the bathroom. </p>
<p>She finished as quickly as possible, and quietly hurried back into the bedroom. She slid onto the bed and back into his arms, where he held her like she had been gone for ages. She snuggled back into his chest, prepared to fall back asleep. </p>
<p>Lucifer raised a hand to the back of her head and ran his fingers into her hair, pushing her face closer to his chest. He kissed the top of her head, then buried his face in her hair. </p>
<p>“You smell like me,” he murmured, still nuzzling her head. He woke up a little more when an unintelligible muffled noise reached his ears. He blinked some sleep out of his eyes. “What was that?”</p>
<p>“Mrrmmphhhh!” </p>
<p>He loosened his hold, and Jen pushed back a bit. She raised her face to glare at him. “You’re a <em>snuggler!”</em> she accused. </p>
<p>Raising an eyebrow, he smirked at her. “I’ll deny it if you tell anyone.” He noticed that she had an imprint of his shirt buttons on her face. “I may be a little possessive, but never a <em>snuggler.”</em> He raised a hand and traced all of the imprints on her face from his shirt. </p>
<p>She huffed at him. “You clearly snuggled.” She pushed him on his back, and curled into his side, laying her head on his chest, and wrapping her leg over the top of his. “Ugh, I can’t believe you.”</p>
<p>Lucifer chuckled, and started petting her hair. “How awful for you. I expect you’ll lodge a complaint with the correct department.” </p>
<p>She shifted her leg higher on his hip, and rolled her body on top of his. She laid on his stomach and was now nose to nose with him. “What makes you think I’d make a formal complaint?”</p>
<p>He moved his hands down to her waist, still covered by his shirt. “I was given to understand that’s what middle aged human mothers did. I think your kind calls them ‘Karens’?” He grinned at her indignant expression. </p>
<p>Jen pushed herself up so that she was sitting up on his hips, her legs still straddling his. “I know you didn’t just call me a Karen!” He thought she looked magnificent, straddling him, wearing his shirt, her eyes snapping with irritation. A couple of buttons had come undone at the top of the shirt, giving him a tantalizing glimpse of the curves of her breasts. </p>
<p>“Out of what I just said, <em>that</em> is what bothers you?” He asked her, his hands now on her hips, pulling her down onto clothed hips. </p>
<p>She gave a small roll of her hips, watching as he briefly closed his eyes against the sensation of her movement. Lifting a corner of her mouth into a smirk, she answered him. “Because I AM a middle-aged human mother, but what I am NOT-“ another roll of her hips, “is a <em>Karen!”</em></p>
<p>He stifled a moan. His hands had shifted a bit, and the shirt she was wearing rode up on her hips. She wasn’t wearing anything under his shirt. He felt himself growing impossibly hard. And she knew it, the vixen. Her smirk morphed into a fully sadistic grin. She gave another roll of her hips, moving her center directly onto his clothed erection. </p>
<p>“So I’m a Karen, am I?” she taunted. She put her weight onto her knees and raised herself off of him completely. She grabbed his hands off her hips and pinned them to the bed. Without his hands on her hips, the shirt fell back down over her thighs. “Let’s not pretend I’m the only parent in this bed. You are the very DEFINITION of a Karen, Lucifer.”</p>
<p>He raised a snooty eyebrow at her. “I admit I am a father, but I am more akin to panicked single teenage mother than a Karen.” He tried to raise his hips to meet hers once more, but she slyly evaded his searching hips. “What is your evidence?”</p>
<p>
Her face lit up with glee, and he felt a sinking in his stomach. She set him up.</p>
<p>She stood even higher on her knees, letting go of his hands. She placed a hand against her chest, fingers splayed out. “Lord Diavolo would be most disappointed to hear of this!” she intoned. He frowned and reached for her. She grinned and shifted to her feet, standing on his bed, one foot on either side of his hips. His shirt fell to just above her knees. He groaned when he realized that the buttons didn’t go all the way down, and that in addition to the glimpses of her breasts, he was getting teased by fleeting peeks of her core.</p>
<p>He grabbed her ankles, but otherwise held still, listening to her mocking impression of him. “I am the Vice President of the Council, and I could have the Palace Guard here before you can blink, <em>now honor my coupon!”</em> He could hear the laughter behind her words, and his Pride relaxed, knowing it was all in fun.</p>
<p>“I’ll have you know that I would never patronize an establishment that accepted <em>coupons</em>,” he said scornfully. She laughed down at him, and once again, he was struck by her casual beauty. He started moving his thumbs up and down on her ankles.</p>
<p>“Snob,” she snorted. He didn’t miss the almost imperceptible twitch of her foot.</p>
<p>Outwardly, he was still frowning, but inside he was laughing at his partner. If her reaction didn’t inform him that she was ticklish, her Pride was shouting it loud and clear. She didn’t want to show her weakness.</p>
<p>He let go of one of her ankles, and ran his index finger along the top of her foot, to her perfect little toes he was so obsessed with. She tried to suppress her twitches, but when he chuckled low in his throat, he could see her realize that he knew. </p>
<p>He sat straight up suddenly, grasping the backs of her knees, making them buckle, bringing her back to her knees. Her face was now level with his, and he took full advantage, kissing her suddenly and deeply. In response to his searching tongue, she opened her mouth, and he dominated her, lazily fucking her mouth with his tongue, not letting her get the upper hand.</p>
<p>He could feel her relief, thinking that she had avoided the worst. He grinned against her mouth, causing her to go completely still. Using her stillness against her, he flipped her onto her back, twisting with her so that he remained upright, but still between her legs. He ignored the warning in her eyes as he grabbed her ankle and raised her leg to her chest. He straddled the other, pinning it below him.</p>
<p>“Lucifer…” she warned him. </p>
<p>He ignored her.</p>
<p>Holding her ankle firmly with one hand, he took his other and ran his index finger down the sole of her bare foot. He chuckled at the resulting twitching. “You, my dear, seem to be ticklish,” he said, acting as if this was a normal conversation. He added another finger to his caress, his eyes lighting up at the wiggling that ensued.</p>
<p>“Lucifer-!” Jen gasped, on the verge of nerve-induced laughter.</p>
<p>He leaned down and looked her in the eye seriously. “If you are not ok with this, we can stop, right now. Now questions asked. There’s other things we can do.” She blinked at him.</p>
<p>“I’m ok,” she told him. His face flashed into a sweet smile, before settling back into his sexy smirk.</p>
<p>“Where else, I wonder?” he mused aloud to himself. Still firmly holding her ankle in one hand, he played with her toes, lightly tickling each one. She was trying her hardest to hold back her laughter, but the sight of a very serious Lucifer carefully investigating and tickling her toes was almost too much.</p>
<p>He glanced at her face from under the cover of his hanging hair, and his heart swelled when he saw her face was on the verge of laughter. He raised his head slightly, so she could see his eyes. He brought her foot up to his lips and kissed every toe, keeping his gaze locked with hers.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>He raised her leg up as he leaned forward, kissing the arch of her foot, and then her ankle. He ran little kisses up her calf, taking note of the hitch in her breath. He was bent at his waist and had reached her knee. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>She had braced herself for more kisses on her leg, so she was shocked when he decided that the back of her knee needed to be tickled. She arched her back off the bed in shocked laughter. “LUCIFER!” she shouted, in nerve-induced laughter.  </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>He grinned like a boy against her leg, enjoying her shocked reaction. Her eyes were sparkling, letting him know that she was enjoying herself. “Something the matter, my dear?” he laughed at her. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>A flicker of <em>something</em> flashed in her eyes, making Lucifer brace himself for her payback.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>She pulled her leg away from his hands, and pressed her toes lightly against his forehead. She pushed him gently back onto his heels, and she sat up, her other leg still pinned under him. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>She grabbed his collar, bringing his face in close for a kiss. She gave him a gentle kiss, at the same time sliding the top button of his shirt undone. “You cannot be comfortable,” she teased him. “You’ve been wearing these clothes for at least a full twenty-four hours.” Her hands slipped down to the next button, sliding it free. “How about I get you naked?” she breathed in his ear. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>He smiled mischievously at her. “You want to undress me, Jen?” he purred at her. “You want to serve me?”</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>She quirked an eyebrow at him. “Sure. Let’s start there.” While they were talking, he didn’t realize that she had completely unbuttoned his shirt. She pushed it off his shoulders, and worked it off of his arms. She leaned forward and gave him a sloppy, open-mouthed kiss on his collar bone, making him swallow a moan.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>She pushed at him. “Lay down,” she ordered, “on your back.” He humored her with a smile, and laid back against the pillows, propped up slightly so that he could watch her. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>She once again straddled him, this time he could feel her bare pussy on his stomach, and his muscles clenched at the sensation. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>She leaned forward and kissed him deeply, before trailing to his jaw to pepper little kisses along that. She nudged his jaw up with her nose, and once he obliged, she attacked his throat with sucking bites, leaving a trail of hickies in her wake. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Lucifer was already almost undone, he hadn’t slept with another being in over a century, his Pride not allowing him to lower himself to anyone less than better than Jen. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>And there was no one better than Jen. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>She again left sucking kisses along his collarbone, and his hips bucked into the air against his will. She looked up with a teasing grin. “You should be patient.”</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>He was patient. He was patient for a hundred and twenty fucking <em>years.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>She continued her exploration down his chest, making sure she gave his nipples the attention they deserved. She shifted as she kissed his torso, so that she was laying down between his legs, hers stretched out behind her as she lay on her stomach. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>She nosed the light dusting of hair that led down into his trousers, and she grinned at his whimpers. “Wanna see a trick?” she asked him, peeking up at his face through her lashes.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Even as he was coming undone on the inside, he remained collected outwardly. He met her gaze and lifted an eyebrow in challenge. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>She grinned, and grabbed the button of his slacks with her teeth. In less than a moment, she had his fly unbuttoned and the zipper down, using just her mouth. She urged him to lift his hips, and she pulled his slacks down over his ass and off his legs. She tossed them on the floor, and looked triumphantly at Lucifer. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>He gave her a nod, acknowledging her accomplishment. “Impressive,” he told her. “What else can that mouth do?” </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>She grinned, even as she was massaging the bulge in his boxer briefs. Using her hands this time, she sprung his cock free, and ran her tongue up the underside. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Hearing his breath catch, she smiled against his shaft. She pulled his shorts down further so she could get at his balls. She licked and sucked at his sac, using her hands to pump his cock. He moaned as she sucked one of his testicles into her mouth. She worked her mouth back up his shaft, sucking the head into her mouth. His hands tangled in her hair as she worked to take all of him into her throat. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>“Fuck…” he hissed, as she hit a particularly sensitive spot. He tugged at her hair. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>“Get up here. I want to be in your sweet pussy the first time we’re together,” he ordered, breathlessly. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>She surged up the bed, straddling his erection. She grabbed it and aimed it at her folds as she slowly sank down on him. They both groaned as she took all of him in. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>He reached his arms up to her and tore the shirt she wore open, exposing her breasts for him. He moaned when he saw them, and tugged on the open shirt to make her lean over him. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>He leaned forward just enough to catch a nipple in his mouth, causing her gasp and speed up her hips. She braced her arms on the bed on either side of his head, grinding her hips down on his. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>He reached between them and found her clit, and slowly started working it, a slow contrast to their frantic coupling. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>Lucifer felt Jen’s walls start to flutter. He took over, slamming up into her, keeping his fingers on her clit, bringing her ever closer. “Fuck, Jen, fucking <em>let go!</em>” he growled at her.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>With a gasp, followed by a groan, Jen came like an explosion, her grasping walls milking Lucifer of his own release. He shouted in pleasure, thrusting his hips to prolong his release. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>After a few minutes basking in the afterglow, Lucifer rolled them off the bed, and carried Jen into the shower. “Let’s get washed up, then I want to soak in the bath with you,” he told her. “I can’t seem to stop wanting to hold you.”</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>————————-</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Asmo sat smugly at the dining room table. He never understood how Lucifer never had to hunt after dealing with Jen, but now he did. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>He sat back in his chair with a satisfied sigh.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>At the sound of his sigh, Jeeves appeared at his side. “Can I bring you anything, my lord?”</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Asmo eyed the butler, not liking what he was reading in his aura. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>He narrowed his eyes. <strong>”Jeeves. Come here.”</strong></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>The butler walked slowly to Asmodeus. “Yes, my lord?”</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Asmo placed his chin on his hand, and acted as if he was studying the butler. “You have been very disrespectful and dismissive of Lady Jen since our arrival. <strong>Tell me why.</strong>”</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>“She is a common trollop, my lord.”</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>“Bullshit,” Asmo said, calmly. <strong>”The truth, please.”</strong></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>The butler started shaking as his defenses crashed down. An interrogation from Asmodeus can come in a variety of flavors. His personal preference is to make it so enjoyable that it’s guilt inducing when he’s done. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>But some people need to hurt. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>The butler started chanting. “The witches fear and respect her. The necromancer hides from her. Both have wronged her, both are remorseful. <em>I want her.</em> To have such a being under my control, the power I could yield.” The butler hissed, his true nature showing through, a corrupted human soul, looking through hungry eyes.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Asmo casually leaned back in his chair, holding the human still with his power. “Ahhhh,” he breathed. “There it is, Jeeves. This damned suite hides it nicely, but I see it now. That Lust for power. Have you found a way to siphon the power out of its walls? <strong>Answer me.</strong>”</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>The butler whimpered. “No. No witches or wizards would help. None would show me. Not after SHE arrived. They will not risk her wrath.”</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p><em>Oh, THAT’S interesting,</em> thought Asmo.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>“Then why try to drive her away?” he asked out loud. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>“I hoped you and the other lords would lose interest, my lord. She would be helpless in a strange town. I would save her. I would <em>have her.”</em> Jeeves was getting a maniacal look in his eye.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Asmo stood gracefully. “Well, that’s enough of that, I guess.” He stepped away from the table, carefully pushing the chair back in. “Jeeves, if you would be so kind as to <strong>walk over to the tile floor</strong>.”</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>The butler walked robotically to the tile floor in the middle of the industrial kitchen. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>“I’m sorry, Jeeves, but I’m afraid your period of employment with us has come to an end,” Asmo told the butler. He released the hold he had on the butler’s mind, muttering a quick cantrip of silence. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>In a flash, Asmo was in his full demon form. In another blink, he plunged his hand into Jeeves chest, and pulled out his heart, breaking the tether that kept his soul to his body. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>The soul tried to escape, but Asmo caught it with a practiced hand. “No, no, my good butler. It’s to the Second Layer for you. But first,” Asmo pulled at the soul, making it incapable of individuality. Using the power that made him an Avatar of sin, he sent the soul on to its eternal torture. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>With a sigh, he looked at the mess on the kitchen floor. He called his Little Ds to him. “Hello, darlings. Please clean this up.”</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>They chattered at him, and he smiled. “Of course you can eat him! We don’t waste food!”</em>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I find Asmo to be my go-to when a human needs to die.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Small Answers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Asmo was back in the dining room, scrolling through the human social media he didn’t have access to in the Devildom. He was particularly fond of tiktok, with its unapologetic thirst traps and kinktok algorithms. He was getting a low-level buzz from the lust generated from the quick videos, and he was making a mental list of humans to send his team after to lure into full corruption. He sighed happily. </p>
<p>It was nice to get back to the basics, sometimes.</p>
<p>Slow footsteps sounded behind him, making him grin. “Thank you for the top up this morning, my darling brother,” he teased the new arrival. “Coffee is ready on the counter, but we’ll have to order in for breakfast.” He glanced at the time on his phone. “Actually, it’s closer to lunch time.”</p>
<p>Lucifer snorted softly, and walked past Amso to the coffee pot in the kitchen. Asmo purred in delight; Lucifer looked especially debauched this morning. Barefoot, wearing only a loose pair of pajama bottoms, and covered in fading hickies and scratches, he looked the very model of a satisfied male. He shot Asmo a smirk, and poured two cups of coffee, and brought them to the table. He took a seat, leaving a chair between him and Asmo, leaving the second cup in front of it. </p>
<p>“Why do we need to order food?” he asked. “Where’s Jeeves?” Asmo flashed him a predatory look, and Lucifer groaned. “Really? I was hoping we’d get a few more years out of him.”</p>
<p>Asmo hummed. “Well, he gave me some nice information before I grabbed his soul,” he told him.</p>
<p>“Who did?” Jen asked, walking into the dining room. She was looking much more composed than Lucifer, even though she was only wearing the top half of Lucifer’s pajamas. Lucifer pulled out the chair between him and Asmo for her. Smiling, she walked over, dropping a kiss on Asmo’s cheek before taking her seat. Lucifer handed her her coffee while stealing a kiss. </p>
<p>“Jeeves, my peanut butter cup!” Asmo said cheerfully. She lifted an eyebrow at that.</p>
<p>“What did he do to rate having his soul personally reaped by the Avatar of Lust?” she asked. “Usually you just kill them and let nature take its course.”</p>
<p>Asmo’s aura flashed with his demon form. “He was lusting after power.” Lucifer and Jen waited for further explanation. “And that power he wanted was YOU,” he growled.</p>
<p>Lucifer let his own growl out. “Who else?” he asked, eyes swirling into red.</p>
<p>Asmo shook his head. “He was alone. No others would help him tap the power he needed to pull it off.”</p>
<p>Jen cocked her head. “He was such an asshole to me. What made him think I’d just fall into bed with him?” </p>
<p>Asmo reached out and pulled her into his lap. “He wanted to <em>control</em> you, my badminton birdie! It turns out that witches are terrified of you, but also respect you. The necromancer you’ve been following this week is also terrified of you and is trying to hide from you. No one wants to make a deal that even hints at crossing you.” He squeezed her in a hug, quietly laughing at her confused expression.</p>
<p>Lucifer leaned back in his chair, slinging an arm over the back. “One day, Jen, we’re going to have to have a discussion about what you’ve been up to since falling into our lives.” He took a sip of his coffee, staring at her over the rim.</p>
<p>She snorted, taking a sip of her own coffee. “You can read allllll about it in four hundred years or so.” Asmo laughed and squeezed her lightly, as Lucifer just rolled his eyes. She leaned her head back at Asmo, her lips close to his jaw. “So do we need to get rid of a body? I know a guy.”</p>
<p>Lucifer set his cup down on the table with a clatter and stared at her. “You <em>know a guy</em>.” He ran a hand through his already disheveled hair. “What am I asking? <em>Of course</em> you know a guy.”</p>
<p>Asmo merely smiled. “Not necessary, my party popper. My familiars took care of it.” Jen suppressed a shudder. </p>
<p>As cute as the Little Ds were, they were still demonic. Watching them in action would turn the most hardened criminal’s stomach. </p>
<p>A commotion at the entry to the suite signalled the arrival of more Brothers.</p>
<p>“What the FUCK, Jeeves?! Where the fuck are ya?! I gotta open the door <em>myself</em>, like a fucking <em>peasant</em>?!”</p>
<p>Jen let out a small giggle, and Asmo pulled her higher onto his lap. “Stay right here, my flower pot. They can come to you.” Lucifer simply rolled his eyes, and stretched his body out, putting it on display, exchanging a smirk with Asmo.</p>
<p>Mammon and Levi tumbled through the entry to the dining room, pushing and bitching at each other, Beel walking behind them at a more sedate pace, grinning when he caught sight of the three at the table. </p>
<p>Pushing past the arguing pair, Beel made his way over to Jen and Asmo, dropping a kiss on her mouth and handing her a bag. “Brought you some clothes,” he told her. He straightened with a wicked grin and gave her bare legs a long look. “Although, if you want to stay like that, you won’t hear me arguing.” She grinned back, and he walked to the other side of the table, taking a seat.</p>
<p>Mammon and Levi were still sniping at each other, until Levi finally saw Lucifer sprawled out at the table in all of his shirtless glory. His jaw dropped, causing Mammon to turn to see what he was looking at. </p>
<p>Mammon looked Lucifer up and down, a grin spreading slowly over his face. “Didja win a fight with a kitten last night, big bro? Showing off your battle scars?” Lucifer grinned back at him.</p>
<p>“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Jen breathed, and Asmo chuckled and moved his arm to give her butt a little pinch. She jumped up. </p>
<p>“Ok, that’s enough of that,” she announced. Grabbing the bag Beel had brought her, she stomped over to Levi.</p>
<p>“Hi,” she smiled at him. </p>
<p>He blushed, but didn’t move away. “Hey.” She leaned up into him and gave him a quick kiss, and he surprised her by bringing his arms around her for a hug. “C-can I see you later?” he asked quietly. </p>
<p>She returned his hug. “Of course you can,” she answered just as quietly. He released her, and she made her way to Mammon.</p>
<p>He held his arms out with a cocksure grin on his face. “Mornin’, baby!” he laughed. He wrapped his arms around her and swung her around, kissing her soundly. He put her back down, and she stepped away, giving him a half-amused, half-annoyed look.</p>
<p>“I’m going to get dressed,” she announced to the room. She walked past her men, feeling all of their eyes on her. She stopped by Asmo for a moment. “I have a present for you,” she whispered. He smiled delightedly, intrigued by her wicked smile.</p>
<p>“What are we supposed t’ do while yer doin’ that?” Mammon teased.</p>
<p>Jen kept walking. “Well, I guess you can listen to Asmo as to why you don’t have a butler anymore.” She held her bag out with one hand, and dropped it. </p>
<p>“Oops!” She sent a wicked grin over her shoulder, then bent at the waist to pick it up. </p>
<p>A series of swears in a variety of voices sounding behind her made her grin even wider, followed by a delighted “Thank you!” from Asmo.</p>
<p>And to think she was worried about not having underpants this morning.</p>
<p>----------------------------------<br/><em>Several hours earlier</em></p>
<p>Belphie was baffled at Satan’s behavior. Revealing himself to humans? To <em>children?!</em> Most of the denizens of hell would have his ass for this. Children were sacred. It had taken eons for the Demon Lord to hunt out and destroy the demons who worked with Gabriel to possess children.</p>
<p>It just wasn’t fucking DONE.</p>
<p>“Satan?” came a small voice from the alley. Belphie raised his eyebrows at that. They knew each other?</p>
<p>“Hello, Linds,” Satan answered calmly, keeping his demeanor and aura calm.</p>
<p>Linds took a look behind her, making sure the other kids were safely inside. “Where’s your wife?” she asked, steeling her spine. </p>
<p><em>Ah, Jen’s involved,</em> Belphie thought. <em>That explains it.</em></p>
<p>Satan stayed in one spot, not wanting to spook her. “Back at the hotel. I heard there were some kids in trouble, so my brother and I came to check it out.” He gestured for Belphegor to show himself. Belphie hid his surprise, but followed Satan’s lead. </p>
<p>Belphie stepped out of the shadows, and he found himself being appraised by a shrewd and very small girl. “What’s your name?” she asked.</p>
<p>“You can call me Belphie,” he replied. She nodded, like it was an everyday occurrence to chat with demons in an alley.</p>
<p>Of course, with her, it probably WAS.</p>
<p>“Are you in trouble, Linds?” Satan asked, seriously. </p>
<p>She put her hands on her hips, and cocked her head. “Well, I’m homeless, and taking care of a couple of kids I never knew until a couple of weeks ago. Does that count?” Satan raised an eyebrow, showing her that he wasn’t going to take her bullshit. She sighed, sounding older than her twelve years.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I’m in trouble,” she admitted. “My parents kicked me out when they realized that I was a witch, and my magic doesn’t blend with the local coven AT ALL, so I tried to connect with that necromancer guy, but it was also all wrong, so I tried to do some stuff on my own and something BAD happened and I don’t know what to dooooooooooo!” all of this ended in a small cry, with a hiccup, and both demons were strongly reminded that they were dealing with a child. </p>
<p>Belphie knelt down in front of her, but still gave her space. “Can we come in and meet your friends, Linds? Can we see if we can help?” </p>
<p>She hiccuped, and nodded. She led the way to the hole in the wall. She jumped down first, to make sure the other kids were clear. Satan and Belphie quickly followed.</p>
<p>With Linds there, the magic in the room activated, and the basement lit up with light. Satan raised his eyebrows, impressed with the skill behind it. “You may think that you’re in over your head, Linds,” he told her, “but your skill is impressive for being as untrained as you are.” He found himself wishing that Jen’s nephew, Griffin, was still available. He would’ve been a big help.</p>
<p>Linds shrugged, but clearly pleased with the praise. She waved the kids over, and the three of them reluctantly shuffled over. Satan and Belphie scanned the kids, and grimaced at each other.</p>
<p>Two of the little ones were clearly orphaned witches, their connection with the elements sharply defined in the astral plane. Their witchmarks were sharp and distinct on the back of their hands. If Mammon was correct, and despite what the rest of existence thought, he often was, Satan and Belphie were looking at the roots of a new coven. </p>
<p>But the third child refused to remove its hood, and started whimpering as it got closer to Satan. Satan looked at Linds for direction, and saw that she was frowning. </p>
<p>“You wanted to come here,” she told the child. “You wanted to live up here.”</p>
<p>The child shook, but reached up to remove its hood. It pushed it back, and Satan and Belphie frowned. </p>
<p>It was definitely a demon, too old and well-formed to be considered spawn anymore. It stood shaking in its shoes. Satan slid his eyes to the broken summoning circle. “Are you a child of Astroneth?” he asked. </p>
<p>“I am his daughter,” she replied. </p>
<p>“Why did you choose the form of a human child?” Belphie asked, keeping an eye on the human-ish children in the room. </p>
<p>“She’s not human?” asked Linds, slightly shocked. “She told me she had been trapped by evil demons and that I had to save her!”</p>
<p>Belphie snorted. “How original.”</p>
<p>————————-</p>
<p>Luke and Raphael sat on the floor across from each other, cross-legged. Luke had his eyes closed, focusing on his inner eye. Raphael watched his young apprentice carefully, ready to pull him out if he got too deep. </p>
<p>Luke started to show signs of coming out of his trance, so Raphael prepared to guide him back if necessary. Luke had a habit of getting lost in the details, and sometimes needed to be nudged to pull himself out. </p>
<p>Luke didn’t need his help this time, although he was still a little shaky. “What did you see, Luke?” Raph asked him. </p>
<p>Luke took a steadying breath. “Change. So much change.”</p>
<p>Raph nodded with approval. “Is it new change? Or is it part of a larger pattern?” Raph knew the answer, but he wanted his charge to come to the conclusion alone. </p>
<p>Luke frowned. “It feels like a constant road, with big bumps and smaller bumps. But lots of bumps.” He looked at his mentor. “They’re in the middle of a big bump.”</p>
<p>Raphael grinned. </p>
<p>The archangels had privately wondered at what talents the newest of their numbers would exhibit. </p>
<p>Seren was clearly a warrior angel, and they were well-paired with Uriel of the Flaming Sword. </p>
<p>Luke’s talents were more subtle, his lifetime of working with Simeon had clearly made an impact. He could read someone’s very being the way others could read a road sign. </p>
<p>And today he just read the psyche of a human subject. </p>
<p>Raphael was a healer. He heals bodies of physical injuries, diseases, the effect of aging, and sometimes he can manage a little psychological healing (he healed Jen’s grief completely by accident).</p>
<p>With training, Luke would heal <em>minds</em>.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Asmo’s nicknames today are thanks to me looking around my garage as I was writing.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Wards</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm bricked on my NANO project, so I switched back to this to get the creative stuff flowing again.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jen had just finished pulling her shirt over her head when her D.D.D. chimed with a notification. She leaned over to grab it from Lucifer’s bed, and read a text from Belphie.</p>
<p>
  <strong>Belphie: Gotta go old school on this one, doll. You free to pull back up?</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Jen: Yeah, I can. Location?</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Belphie: I’ll send the map location. It’s kind of out of the way.</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Jen: When is it not?</strong>
</p>
<p>She smiled at the crying-laughing emoji he sent, and clicked the link to the map. </p>
<p><em>Super,</em> she thought. <em>Why is it always an alley?</em></p>
<p>She grabbed the bag Beel had brought her and swung it over her shoulder. She was glad that he was the one to bring her clothes today. His taste leaned more toward the athletic and functional, which meant she was all set to crawl around in a gutter with jeans, a t-shirt, and her trusted Chucks. </p>
<p>Jen walked back into the common area, where she was greeted by the chaos that she was becoming accustomed to. “Hey, guys,” she called out. Five heads swiveled her direction. “I’m taking off. Belphie asked for back up.” </p>
<p>Mammon flew out of his chair and was by her side in an instant. “I’m going.” </p>
<p>She glared at him. “No.”</p>
<p>“Yes, he is,” Lucifer snapped from across the room. He glared at her, his bare chest still on display from this morning. </p>
<p>Jen felt her temper rise when she looked at the remaining three demons in the room and saw an equal amount of stubbornness in their expressions. “He’s calling an Old School audible, and if you don’t know what that is, then you can’t help me. You’ll be in the way,” she told Mammon firmly.</p>
<p>He leaned in toward her face with a smirk. “Well, now I know I have to go with you.” He leaned further in, lowering his mouth to her ear. In a whisper so light, so the others couldn’t hear, he told her. “You’re dealing with a rogue noble. I taught him that code.”</p>
<p>The others all looked at them with concern, unable to hear what Mammon was telling her, but able to see her expression flare with anger, and then immediate acceptance. They all took a collective sigh of relief. </p>
<p>She nodded curtly. “Ok. You can come.” Turning on her heel, she stormed to the exit of the suite, leaving Mammon scrambling to catch up.</p>
<p>“Good luck with that,” Levi called after him, receiving a middle finger in return. </p>
<p>-----------------------</p>
<p>Belphie slipped his D.D.D. back into his pocket after alerting Jen to the situation. He could really use her help.</p>
<p>Satan was good, but Jen was <em>better.</em></p>
<p>He stepped around the room so that the “kids” were between him and Satan. He didn’t trust this rogue demon one bit. The twins were holding each other’s hand tightly, and his cold heart thumped at the sight. He knew what it was like to only have your twin with you against the whole world. </p>
<p>He eyeballed the girl called Linds, who was currently standing with her hands on her hips, pretending that she wasn’t scared shitless. He found himself liking this little spitfire of a baby mage, in spite of her prickly exterior. No wonder Satan is going out of his way to help her out.</p>
<p>She was good people, like Jen would say.</p>
<p>A shuffle snapped his attention back to the rogue demon in the room. <strong>”Stop,”</strong> he ordered. He could see the tell-tale bubble under the skin, a sure sign of a demon about to lose control of their physical self.</p>
<p>The demon snapped her head at him, and he could see the lie of her youth in the depths of her gaze. This was no spawn. </p>
<p>He could tell that Satan also could see it. “Got tired of waiting for your father to disappear?” Satan asked her. “Decided to con a poor beginning mage and a witch-base into doing your dirty work?”</p>
<p>The demon hissed, and the twins ran to Linds. She gathered them into her tiny arms, and crooned soothing nonsense to them.</p>
<p>She reminded him strongly of Mammon. She was a born protector. </p>
<p>Satan signalled to Belphie to keep an eye on their captive demon, while he ran a practiced wave over the children. Fury flashed over his face, and Belphie watched as he physically forced it down. He looked at Belphie, “Is she coming?” </p>
<p>“Any second,” he told him.</p>
<p>Satan nodded, and spun back to the demon. He muttered a series of words in a language Belphie didn’t understand, and glow enclosed the demon in a tight circle. She started frantically trying to throw herself at the barrier, only to be slowly locked into stasis. </p>
<p>“That will hold her for now,” Satan nodded to himself. </p>
<p>A buzz from Belphie’s pocket made him startle. He grabbed his D.D.D. and saw Jen’s text.</p>
<p>
  <strong>Jen: Could you have picked a grosser alley? Ffs</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Jen: Anyway, I’m here. With Mammon</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Belphie: Why Mammon?</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Jen: Because FML, that’s why</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Belphie: lol, on my way, one sec</strong>
</p>
<p>Belphie slid it back into his pocket. “She’s here. I’m going to go up and let her in.” Satan nodded, not moving his eyes from the rogue. </p>
<p>Belphie hauled himself up onto the ledge of the hole that let them drop into the basement. He stood in the narrow space behind the dumpster, and found the lever that swung the whole thing open. </p>
<p>He was greeted by a serious Jen, with Mammon, who had a giant shit-eating grin, standing slightly behind her, watching her back. Belphie nodded in approval at Mammon, and reached out and ruffled Jen’s hair as she glared at him.</p>
<p>“Not you, too,” she grumbled. “I thought you’d get it.”</p>
<p>He pulled her into a hug. “You don’t have Ajax up here,” he reminded her. “If you had him, I’d totally be on your side.” She huffed a bit, but he could tell the fight had left her. </p>
<p>“Who ya got down there, Belph?” Mammon asked. </p>
<p>“Not up here.” He motioned for them to jump down into the basement, before closing the dumpster mess behind them and dropped down beside them.</p>
<p>He watched carefully while Jen’s eyes adjusted to the witch lights and overall gloom of the basement. He saw the moment she saw the children, and her whole soul melted. She made a beeline for them, approaching carefully. He exchanged a look with Satan and Mammon, and they all seemed to be on the same page.</p>
<p>They couldn’t wait to see her with their children.</p>
<p>--------------------</p>
<p>Jen walked over to the huddled kids, and recognition struck when she looked at the crop of curly black hair above the other two. “Linds?” she asked, dumbstruck. This was the last place she expected to see the gregarious adolescent. </p>
<p>Linds raised her head, and her grin spread across her face. “Hey! You have more than one husband?” She released the twins and launched herself at Jen, surprising the woman in a bear hug. “Thank you for coming,” the brave girl told her, a sniff giving away how truly scared she was.</p>
<p>Jen wrapped her arms around her, squeezing her tight. She felt two little sets of arms wrapping around her sides, and lifted her head to see the twins had added themselves to the hug. She freed an arm, and ran her hand over the top of the head closest to her. “And who are these two?” she asked quietly.</p>
<p>Linds broke the hug, and stepped back, wiping her nose on the back of her hand. “They’ve never told me their names.”</p>
<p>Jen focused on the two children in front of her. She doubted that Linds even knew how old they were, but Jen guessed that she was looking at a pair of barely four-year-old twins. Old enough to be potty-trained but young enough to to forget their own names. Her gaze flicked down to the witchmarks on the back of their hands. </p>
<p><em>Not knowing their True Names will protect them,</em> she thought to herself. She felt her heart sinking. <em>Shit. I’m going to have to go talk to the local coven.</em></p>
<p>Arms still around the twins, she looked up and saw a familiar being in a containment bubble. The demon’s eyes, the only thing she could move, were rolling around in her head with panic. She stood. “Linds, can you pack up everything you can’t live without? Don’t forget the twins’ things either. No magic stuff, though.” Linds nodded eagerly, happy to have something to do. </p>
<p>Linds held out her hands to the twins. “Come on, guys, you can help.” The three kids headed to the alcove they had marked as their bedroom.</p>
<p>Belphie walked over to her as she pulled both her phone and her D.D.D. out of her pockets. “What’s your play?” he asked, curiously. He’s never made the mistake of guessing what she was going to do, and he wasn’t about to start now.</p>
<p>“First, I’m asking for permission from Diavolo. Then I’m going to beg a giant favor from someone who thinks they’re the funniest being in three realms. Then,” she sighed. “I’m going to reach out to the local coven. Those babies need their people.”</p>
<p>-----------------------------</p>
<p>Simeon was humming as cleaned up the little bungalow. A depressed Solomon was a sloppy Solomon, though Simeon wasn’t going to give him a hard time for that. </p>
<p>The poor human had spent the last two thousand years boinking everything with a sentient brain, and now that he can’t, he was having problems finding ways to stay busy. </p>
<p>Today’s disaster had happened in the kitchen, until Simeon dared him to invent a new spell. </p>
<p>It was like a switch had been flipped. Solomon immediately set to work making a warded room, so he could experiment safely. Simeon was quick, though, and added the caveat that he couldn’t work on undoing the curse Diavolo set on him. Solomon rolled his eyes, already looking closer to his real self. </p>
<p><em>All that man needs is a challenge,</em> Simeon thought to himself.</p>
<p>An obnoxious klaxon alarm sounded, making the angel jump. It took him a minute to remember that was his D.D.D. Luke had set the tone as a joke once, and Simeon had no idea how to fix it.</p>
<p>He picked it up, and was delighted to see that he had received a text from Jen.</p>
<p>
  <strong>Jen: Hi Simeon. I need a favor</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Simeon: Hi howru</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Simeon: ?</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Jen: I’m fine. Something came up and I need your help, please</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Simeon: I’m angel! </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Jen: sigh</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Jen: I know</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Simeon: I like helping</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Jen: This is a big favor. Like, Luke-big.</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Jen: So please stop pretending you have no idea how a phone works </strong>
</p>
<p>Simeon grinned. She knew him so well. </p>
<p>
  <strong>Simeon: I’ll call you</strong>
</p>
<p>He tapped at his phone, calling her. “Jen!” he said cheerfully once she answered. He listened to her request, and grinned slyly in the direction of the room Solomon was holed up in. “Of course. I assume Diavolo gave permission?” He snorted. “True, he would never say no to this. I will be there shortly.” He listened, a grin still playing on his mouth. “And how is domestic bliss, anyway?” He laughed at the outburst that exploded from the phone. “Ok, ok, I will see you shortly.” </p>
<p>He hung up, and walked down the short hallway to Solomon's room and knocked. Solomon popped his head out of the doorway. “What’s up?” the sorcerer asked.</p>
<p>“I’m heading topside for a quick errand,” Simeon told him. “Need anything?”</p>
<p>“No, thank you,” Solomon told him, distractedly. Simeon noted with approval that the sorcerer was clearly working on something of substance. </p>
<p><em>And he’s about to have an even bigger project,</em> Simeon snorted to himself.</p>
<p>“See you later, Simeon,” Solomon said, politely but firmly. “I’m in a critical timeline at the moment.” He shut the door in Simeon’s face.</p>
<p>Simeon just grinned, and walked out of the bungalow. He checked the coordinates that Jen sent him. His eyes started to twinkle as he prepared to shift into his angelic form for travel.</p>
<p>Life was about to become hilarious.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Answers (Maybe)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>AO3 didn't notify everyone that chapter 20 had been edited, so make sure you read chapter twenty first!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Simeon materialized on earth in a scummy back alley. He felt a thrill deep inside. It had been so long since he had been able to get his hands dirty with actual people-helping work. </p>
<p>He pulled his D.D.D. to let Jen know he had arrived. Quickly after that, the trash compactor against the wall swung away, revealing Satan leading a trio of children. </p>
<p>Satan smiled in greeting, and herded the children over to Simeon. “Kids, this is Simeon. He’s going to keep an eye on you for just a minute, while we clean up a bit.” His eyes met Simeon’s. “This shouldn’t take long.” Simeon nodded, and Satan hurried back into the hole in the wall.</p>
<p>Simeon found himself meeting the eyes of the oldest kid. She was older than he had first assumed, he had almost been fooled by her tiny stature. He read her aura out of habit, and his eyes widened.</p>
<p>Jen always found him the <em>best</em> stuff.</p>
<p>“You’re not a demon,” the dynamo told him, head cocked. “You’re not a human, either.”</p>
<p>He smiled gently. “That’s right, little lamb. I’m an angel.”</p>
<p>Her formally serious face popped into a large grin. “That’s so COOL.” Her forehead crinkled a bit. “How could I tell that, though…” she said to herself.</p>
<p>He knelt, ignoring the nastiness of the alley. “I know someone who can teach you, but first, who are these fine children?” He kept his aura kind and welcoming. He could feel the waves of trauma flowing off of them, and his heart felt for them. </p>
<p>“They never told me their names,” said the girl, “but I’m Linds.” She watched quietly as the twins latched themselves to Simeon. He stroked their heads softly, laying blessing after blessing on their hungry souls. </p>
<p>He looked up and met her eyes. “Hello, Linds,” he said, warmly. </p>
<p>She met his gaze with hungry eyes. “You know someone who can teach me?”</p>
<p>He laughed a little as one of the twins dug further under her arm. “Yes, and as soon as Jen and the boys finish up in there, I’ll take you to him.”</p>
<p>----------------------------</p>
<p>Jen didn’t move her eyes from the rogue demon in a bubble after Satan took the children outside. The demon defiantly stared back, threats flashing in her eyes. </p>
<p>“I thought you might recognize her,” Belphie joked. </p>
<p>“Him,” Jen replied, not moving her eyes from the demon. The demon spat out a string of curses in infernal, but Jen didn’t even blink. </p>
<p>Mammon and Belphie exchanged smirks, and spread out around the basement.</p>
<p>Satan slid back into the room, and placed himself by the demon. He looked at his brothers and nodded. “I’m about to unleash the binding. If you feel bad about landing a killing blow, don’t. This prick forced necromancy and witchcraft into an earth mage child. He has warped her power font so much that there’s a strong possibility that she’ll go insane by the time she’s sixteen. SIXTEEN.” He suddenly punched the bound demon in the mouth. “Mother<em>fucker</em>.”</p>
<p>Jen raised her eyebrows. Satan wasn’t one to give into his sin easily. </p>
<p>Mammon raised his hand. “One sec, Satan.” He turned to Jen. “We know he’s Astroneth’s progeny, but do you know more than that?”</p>
<p>She nodded. “He was supposedly destroyed the night that Jack attacked me at RAD. He’s the one who organized the hit.”</p>
<p>Satan and Belphie both swore, loudly. “Satan,” ordered Mammon. “Release his speech only. I want answers.” Satan nodded and mumbled an incantation.</p>
<p>Mammon walked over and put himself right in the rogue’s face. “Who were you targeting with the goods in the port?” he asked. Belphie shifted behind the bound demon, out of sight.</p>
<p>“Fuck you,” spat the demon. Belphie punched the back of his head.</p>
<p>“Try again,” Mammon told the demon.</p>
<p>“My father,” mumbled the demon. “He locked me away. Called me a disgrace, said my timing was all wrong.”</p>
<p>Mammon nodded. “Ok, Satan, release him.”</p>
<p>“Wait, NO-” Jen shouted, too late.</p>
<p>The demon, now freed, launched itself straight at Jen, colliding with her and slamming her into the cement wall. Jen managed to get leverage and slam the demon back down onto the floor, punching him in the process, breaking his nose. The demon shoved Jen off of him and back into the cement wall, where she hit the back of her head. </p>
<p>Dazed, she watched as the angry demon, still in the form of a child, taunted the brothers.</p>
<p>“Oh yes, save your mate,” he hissed. “Save the pathetic human. She should have been destroyed when she was born! Father was WEAK. Didn’t want to piss off the Boy Prince.” The demon danced around, avoiding the lunges of the brothers. “So I sent down presents for my father. Kill my father. If that missed, at least I could kill the prince. Then I could kill YOU.” He turned abruptly, and put his face in Jen’s. “You are awful. You are a waste. You ruined the very fabric of hell. Lower caste demons are worthless. They are FOOD. And you made the Boy Prince ELEVATE them.” He slapped her face, and it whipped to the side. “If you think the Seven will stay with you for eternity, you are lying to yourself. YOU ARE FOOD.” </p>
<p>The demon spread its jaw to an inhuman absurd amount. He leaned over her head. She weakly put a hand in the air. “Wait…” she pleaded. “I have a question.”</p>
<p>He chuckled. “Why not? Ask before I kill you.”</p>
<p>Jen pulled herself up to a better sitting position. “Who were you working with? I can’t figure it out. You were too smart.”</p>
<p>His chest puffed with pride. “I paid a lower caste demon to go down with the stuff and to run interference in case anyone started poking around. I convinced that necromancer to train the girl, before I shoved some of his magic into her. I kidnapped the twin brats from the foster system.”</p>
<p>“Why…?” she asked, weakly.</p>
<p>“My father needs to die. He won’t pick a side, says we need to work with the Boy Prince. <em>I</em> can make us rich. <em>I</em> can take the throne. <em>I</em> can do what needs to be done.” He leaned over her once more. “Any other questions?”</p>
<p>“Yes....” she said. She switched her expression from pain and weakness to a smirk of mischief. “Did you <em>honestly</em> forget that we’re not alone?”</p>
<p>The demon startled back, and turned to the rest of the room. </p>
<p>Belphie stood with his arms crossed, grinning. Satan had shifted into his demon form, and was pacing back and forth. Both were deferring to Mammon, who stood with his head cocked and his hands in his pockets.</p>
<p>Mammon sighed. “Now, see, ya could’ve just walked away, started a new life in a different realm, tried to become a better person.” He started typing on his D.D.D., sending a message. “But ya went ahead and threatened, so now-“ a hidden door in the basement burst open, a tangle of Little Ds tumbled through, “-I gotta feed ya to my horde.”</p>
<p>A high-pitched scream left the rogue demon, as the Little Ds bounced their way to him. Mammon placed himself between the sight of the feeding demons and Jen, his back toward the demons. He locked his gaze with hers, keeping them from seeing what mortals were never meant to see. </p>
<p>Squeals, squeches, whimpers and a final groan ended with a violent crunch, and Mammon did not remove his gaze from Jen’s. “Clean up the mess, guys, and get out,” he told the Little Ds. Jen heard more slurps and grunts, and finally the horde rolled their way out of the basement. </p>
<p>He squatted down in front of her, and felt the back of her head, wincing when he felt the bump. “Why did ya hold me back, Belphie?” he asked over his shoulder. “I coulda stopped this before she got hurt.” He helped Jen to her feet, and supported her against his side.</p>
<p>“Because,” Belphie told him, “No one is better at getting information than Jen. NO ONE. And now we can report to Diavolo that Astroneth needs to have his house checked for demons that should have been destroyed hundreds of years ago, before letting him off the hook.”</p>
<p>Satan sidled up alongside Jen, kissing her gently on her forehead, and caressing her leg with his tail. “Tell me you didn’t take his words to heart. About us tiring of you. Because that will never happen.”</p>
<p>She wobbled a little on her feet, her concussion wanting to make her puke. “Of course not!” She told him. “I am a goddamned DELIGHT.” She staggered a little more, making both Satan and Mammon support her. “But I hurt like hell right now,” she told them.</p>
<p>“Let’s get you out of here,” Belphie told her. </p>
<p>Between the three demons, they managed to manhandle her up out of the basement and into the alley. Simeon approached them with a look of concern. </p>
<p>He ran a practiced eye over Jen, and frowned. “Would you like me to summon Raphael?”</p>
<p>Jen shook her head, almost puking in the process. “No! The last time he healed me I lost 20 years and half my boobs.” The concussion was making her a little silly.</p>
<p>Belphie smirked. “You mean they used to be <em>bigger?!</em> Simeon, call him down here so I can kick his ass.” Jen glared at him and he pretended to cower. “Oh no! She might puke on me!”</p>
<p>A trio of giggles erupted from behind the angel, and all of the adults paled when they realized their topic of conversation. </p>
<p>Linds stood in her usual sassy position, hands on hips. “Can we go now?” </p>
<p>Simeon smiled. “Of course, lamb.” He turned back to the adults. “We’re staying at Micheal’s cottage while Solomon comes to terms with Diavolo’s punishment.”</p>
<p>“Wait- what punishment?” Jen asked, only to see Simeon grin and disappear from view, children in tow.</p>
<p>The four of them stood confused, before Mammon came to his senses. </p>
<p>“Hold on, I’m gonna go steal us a car and get you back to your room.” He was gone before anyone could protest.</p>
<p>“He knows we could’ve used an emergency portal, correct?” Satan asked Belphie.</p>
<p>“Where’s the fun in that?”</p>
<p>-----------------</p>
<p>Simeon guided the children through their first portal, noting with approval that they took to it like ducks to water. </p>
<p>He let them into the cottage, and let them wander to their hearts’ content, letting them make themselves at home. While they explored, he texted a few requests to Barb, and let Michael know of his temporary wards. </p>
<p>Barb replied back immediately, and said he would be there in the morning with supplies for the kids. Michael was over-the-moon with this development, and told him the kids were welcome for as long as they needed. </p>
<p>Simeon soon saw that the twins were fighting yawns, so he gathered the two of them up and settled them on his lap for a nap. He was strongly reminded of the days he would babysit Beel and Belphie for Lucifer back in the before-times. It didn’t take long for their steady breathing to lure him down into sleep as well.</p>
<p>----------------------</p>
<p>Solomon was irritated with himself. This spell should have worked. All of the runes were correct, all of the ingredients were perfect. What kept going wrong?!</p>
<p>He was double-checking everything (for the eighth time), when his door opened. Shocked, because not only had it been locked, it had been triple-warded, all he could do was gape at the urchin that waltzed into his room. </p>
<p>She was maybe 4’10”, dark skin, and topped with a mop of curly hair. Her eyes, wide and innocent, yet aged. </p>
<p>This poor child had seen too much in life.</p>
<p>“Hello,” he said, startled into politeness.</p>
<p>“Hi. I’m Linds,” the urchin told him.</p>
<p>“I’m Solomon,” he told her. “How did you get in here?”</p>
<p>She shrugged. “It was a little tough at first, but I found a little wiggle room in around the lock and tickled it a little bit. After that it was easy.” She wandered over to his spell work. “How did you find a six leaf clover?”</p>
<p>He startled. “There’s no clover in that spell.”</p>
<p>She shrugged again. “Maybe not, but it’s right here under the bay leaf.”</p>
<p>Curious about his visitor, he muttered a cantrip to read her aura. His face spread into a huge smile.</p>
<p>“Linds, you ever think about becoming a sorcerer’s apprentice?”</p>
<p>-----------------</p>
<p>Across three realms, authority figures everywhere felt a shiver roll down their spine.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is going to be so much fun, y'all.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Sacrifice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Of course, he’d steal the sportscar,” grumbled Satan, from his space in the tiny back seat.</p>
<p>“Hey, if I’m gonna steal, might as well make it worth it!” Mammon snapped from the driver’s seat. </p>
<p>Belphie merely sighed, and checked the bump on the back of Jen’s head. She was settled on his lap in the passenger seat, and he didn’t like how faded her complexion was shifting. He frowned when she gasped when he inadvertently squeezed her torso. “That hurt, doll?” he asked, concerned. Mammon and Satan quit their squabbling immediately in order to hear her answer.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” she got out between gritted teeth. “I think I broke a couple ribs.”</p>
<p>Belphie cut a look to Mammon, and Mammon nodded as he slammed the gas pedal. “I’m takin’ ya back to your room at the Paris.” He made eye contact with Satan in the rearview mirror. “Let ‘em know, would ya?”</p>
<p>Satan nodded, and updated the group chat. </p>
<p>Jen was fighting sleep, since the last thing she needed to do was pass out with a concussion. She tried to focus on Mammon, admiring the effortless way he weaved the car through the traffic. Soon she was focused on how he was handling the gear shift, and found herself almost drooling over the muscles of his forearm and his hand as he gripped the stick.</p>
<p>“See somethin ya like, baby?” he asked, amusement in his tone. The others started chuckling.</p>
<p>She groaned. “I can’t hide anything anymore, can I?”</p>
<p>Belphie laid a gentle kiss on her shoulder. “No. We watch you too closely now.” She sighed, and tried to relax into Belphie’s lap.</p>
<p>Conversation halted as Mammon maneuvered the car behind the hotel, to the service entrance. Beelzebub was waiting for them, and he opened the passenger door once Mammon rolled to a stop. He gently took Jen into his arms, and straightened up.</p>
<p>“I’ve got her. Levi and Asmo are waiting upstairs. I’ll meet you back at the suite,” he stepped back, holding Jen effortlessly. “Lucifer is talking to Diavolo about a plan.” Jen opened her mouth to speak, and he looked down with a glare. “No. You are not coming.” </p>
<p>She glared at him, and the men in the car all laughed. Belphi hastily reached out to close the car door even as Mammon started to peel out of the parking lot. “Good luck, bro!” Mammon yelled through the open window. </p>
<p>Beel looked down at Jen, and raised an eyebrow. “Am I going to have problems with you, or are you going to let Levi and Asmo take care of you?”</p>
<p>She tried to find a reason to argue, but she couldn’t. She felt <em>awful.</em> “I’ll be good,” she promised him. “I hurt too bad to help right now.” She laid her head against his chest. “Can you please take me up?”</p>
<p>He smiled, and pressed a gentle kiss on her head. “Of course.” He looked over to the door and nodded. One of his guards snapped to attention and opened the door that led to the secret elevator. He walked as gently as he could, but she couldn’t help the gasp that escaped when the elevator started ascending. </p>
<p>“We’re almost there,” he murmured encouragingly. She tried her hardest to hide how bad of shape she was in, but he could tell.</p>
<p>They arrived on her floor, and the guards let him into the suite immediately. He swept her into the main room.</p>
<p>“Beezlebub! You are going to make me <em>swoon!</em>” gasped Asmodeus. “The two of you are an absolute <em>vision!</em>” He hurried over to the two of them. He ran a practiced hand over the back of Jen’s head and along her ribs, frowning. Dropping his flirty persona, he confirmed what they had all suspected. “Concussion, three broken ribs, and more bruises than I’d like to see.” He frowned, deep in thought. “Beel, can you please lay her on the couch? I know you need to leave.”</p>
<p>Beel nodded, and carefully laid her on the longest couch, making sure he didn’t jostle more than necessary. He knelt on the floor next to the couch and ran a knuckle down her cheek. “Focus on getting whole. We’ve got the rest.” He dropped a gentle kiss on her forehead, and stood. He clapped his hand onto Asmo’s shoulder. “Where’s Levi?”</p>
<p>“He’s getting the bath ready,” Asmo told him. “Now go, before she starts thinking that she’s ok.”</p>
<p>Beel grinned, and left.</p>
<p>Asmo walked gracefully over to the couch, and knelt beside her. He gently pet her hair, with a look of adoration on his face. “You are amazing, my sparkling water.”</p>
<p>She laughed, and immediately groaned in pain. His brow furrowed as he frowned. “One moment, turtledove.” He stood and left her side. She continued to try to keep from vomiting. </p>
<p>Asmo returned quickly, with Levi by his side. “Ok, my blueberry peach, Levi is going to give you a bath. He’s going to keep you from drowning, so it’s ok to just let go once you’re in, ok?” Levi bent down and swept her into his arms. Asmo kissed her forehead once more. “The whole bath is one of my healing balms, tell me what you think when you’re done.” He stepped back, and nodded to Levi. </p>
<p>“C’mon, normie,” Levi told her. “Let’s fix you up.” He carried her through the master bedroom to the massive bathroom beyond. He helped her out of her clothes, and helped her into the tub.</p>
<p>Jen let out a groan as Levi lowered her into the water of the tub. She didn’t realize what kind of torture she had put her body through this afternoon. </p>
<p>Levi kneeled next to the tub, and crossed his arms on the edge. He rested his chin on his folded arms. “Would you rather be alone?” he asked.</p>
<p>She leaned her head against the tub, and smiled at him. “No. Keep me company?” </p>
<p>He blushed, and dropped an arm so he could drag a finger back and forth across the surface of the water. “I wasn’t sure. You seem pretty tired.” He moved his hand in circular motion, and the water in the tub started swirling around her, massaging her aching muscles. </p>
<p>Her eyes widened slightly. “That is so cool!” </p>
<p>He ducked his head, hiding behind his purple bangs. “It’s nothing. I thought you might like it.”</p>
<p>She lifted her arm out of the water and pushed his hair away from his face. “Why are you hiding, Levi?” She stroked his face with her fingers, and she swore she saw him blush more. </p>
<p>“I just wasn’t sure you’d want to be around me anymore.” The raw honesty on his face just about broke her heart. </p>
<p>“Why not?” She asked, bewildered. </p>
<p>“You know, you have all of my brothers, and they’re all <em>them</em> and cool, and stuff. And I’m, you know, <em>me.</em>” He ducked his head again, staring at his fingers as they twirled in the tub. </p>
<p>
  “What’s wrong with being you?” she asked, baffled. 
</p>
<p>
He rose his head up sharply, like he was checking to see if she was making fun of him. “I have another form, you know.”
</p>
<p>
 “Yes,” she told him. “If you’re trying to hide the fact that you’re a demon, well, I don’t know how to tell you that I already know.” She smiled, and continued to play with his hair, the magic in the bath already making her feel better. 
</p>
<p>
 A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Well, I warned you, I guess.” His gazed sharpened, becoming almost wicked. “I guess you like the tail, huh?”
</p>
<p>
Startled, a loud laugh left her. “You shit.”
</p>
<p>
He grinned, and leaned over and kissed her soundly. He gently placed his forehead against hers, looking deep into her eyes. “I love you, you know.”
</p>
<p>
  She smiled, gazing into his eyes. “Is that what you wanted to talk about earlier?” 
</p>
<p>
He nodded as he sat back. “That, and I just wanted to be alone with you for a bit. It’s hard for me when the others are around. I do my best, but I am who I am.” He shrugged. “I’ll always try, though. For you.” 
</p>
<p>
She sat up, ignoring her nudity. She grabbed his face with both hands and kissed him breathless. “Thank you for knowing what you need and asking for it,” she told him. He blushed.
</p>
<p>
 He dropped a glance to her chest. “You should get back under water, or you’re going to get cold.” She dropped a glance down and giggled as she settled back under water.
</p>
<p>
He shifted his hand, and trailed his finger along her cheekbone. “You’re incredible.” He brought his hand back to the water, and concentrated on keeping the water as comfortable for his mate as possible. 
</p>
<p>
They sat quietly, enjoying each other’s silent company for about an hour. Levi started to realize that water was growing cold. “Come on, Jen, let’s get you to bed.”
</p>
<p>
Jen awoke from her half-doze, and felt goosebumps flare over her skin. She nodded, and tried to sit up. Her stiff muscles, as relaxed as they were in the bath, protested, pulling a pained groan out of her. 
</p>
<p>
 Levi smiled sympathetically, and effortless scooped her from the tub. He carefully set her on her feet, and very tenderly patted her dry with a waiting towel. “You don’t need to do that, Levi,” she told him quietly. 
</p>
<p>
He ducked his head so she couldn’t see his blush. “I want to,” he said firmly. 
</p>
<p>
 “We need to get you to bed,” he told her. “And as much as I would like to be the one to hold you tonight, Asmo probably needs you the most right now.”
</p>
<p>
She cocked her head, curiously.
</p>
<p>
 Levi smiled, more gently than she had ever seen from him. 
</p>
<p>
“He’s been trying so hard to not influence you,” Levi told her. He motioned for her to stay in place, and left her side to open a cabinet along the wall. “I hid something earlier…” he said, mostly to himself. She heard his quiet “aha!” and watched him as he brought a silky mass of material out of the cabinet.
</p>
<p>
“I thought I’d help him out,” he told her with a grin, as he walked back to her. He tossed the material over her head, and helped her find the armholes of a white diaphanous silk nightgown. He made her brace herself against his shoulder as he ran a pair of silk panties up her legs. 
</p>
<p>
She giggled as he kissed her hip, like he couldn’t help himself. “Not for me, not for me, not for me,” he chanted, quietly. He stood up, and with a grin, swept her into his arms. 
</p>
<p>
He marched into the master, and laid her out on the bed on her back. “Stay just like that,” he ordered. He busied himself running around the room, pulling white candles out from drawers and cubbies, and lighting them as he placed them around the room. 
</p>
<p>
She braced herself up on her elbows to watch him, a frown on her face. He was being pretty particular about where he was placing those candles. Unease starting stirring in her. “Levi..” she began.
</p>
<p>
“Hush,” he told her, absently. He stood still for a moment, hands on his hips, mentally checking his work. “I’ve never seen it from this side,” Levi told her. “I want to make sure I get it right.”
</p>
<p>
Jen narrowed her eyes. “Get <em>what</em> right, Leviathan?” she asked, sternly. 
</p>
<p>
He said nothing, only flashing her a smug grin and he threw the doors to the master suite open to the living room. “Hey, Asmo. Got something for you,” he called out.
</p>
<p>
“Whatever could it be?” sang Asmo from the other room. Levi said nothing, he just stood to the entrance of the suite, arms crossed, face smug. 
</p>
<p>
Jen watched as Asmo swung into the room, then saw as he stopped cold, eyes widening at the scene Levi had set. His jaw dropped, and he looked at Levi in awe.
</p>
<p>
  “You set up a sacrifice?!” Asmo gasped. Levi grinned, and dropped his hands in his pockets. 
</p>
<p>
“I’m headed out to help the others, but I got tired of feeling your jealousy every time you hear about one of us and Jen.” At Asmo’s crestfallen face, Levi hastened to reassure him. “It wasn’t ugly jealousy. I could feel how happy you were for us.” Levi shrugged a little helplessly. “I just thought you could use a nudge.”
</p>
<p>
Asmo jumped and threw his arms around his brother. “Thank you thank you thank you!!! I will love it forever!” The two brothers laughed as they heard Jen cough pointedly from the bed. 
</p>
<p>
“Go, Leviathan,” Asmo ordered. 
</p>
<p>
Levi flipped Jen a grin, and left.
</p>
<p>
Asmo turned toward Jen, and the second he heard the lock to the hotel suite engage, his whole demeanor changed. 
</p>
<p>
 She was now his prey.
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Levi has managed to strike that middle child balance. He's a good big brother, and an absolute shit to get his way.</p>
<p>Yeah, and the next chapter is gonna be SUPER smutty.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Asmo, at last</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So much smut. So much. If you are sensitive about dirty talk and bad words, maybe don’t read this chapter. </p>
<p>Good god, so much.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jen’s eyes widened as his eyes glowed with hunger, and his form subtly shifted. His wings slid out, and his horns spiraled above his head. His movements became more deliberate, his every move reminding her that she was his prey.</p>
<p>He prowled toward the bed, his demeanor aggressive. “Asmo…?” Jen asked tentatively.</p>
<p>Asmo locked her gaze with his as he crawled up the foot of the bed toward her. “Stay there,” he growled, when she started to back up.</p>
<p>He covered her with his body, grabbing her wrists and pinning them to the mattress above her head. He ran his nose up the side off her throat, until his mouth was next to her ear. “I have been waiting so long,” he growled. “So long to make you mine.” He blew into the shell of her ear. </p>
<p>“When was the last time someone called you Jennifer?” he asked, the growl still in his throat. </p>
<p>“Never,” she breathed. “Not even when I was a child.”</p>
<p>He rewarded her with a nip on her ear. “Then that name is <em>mine.</em>” He bit her earlobe, hard.</p>
<p>Jen gasped, and her back arched involuntarily. He chuckled, his voice low, and so unlike his breezy, everyday self that she shivered in response. “So responsive,” he praised with a growl, dropping a soft kiss to the bite.</p>
<p>He ran his tongue along her jaw, still holding her hands in place above her head. When he got in range of her mouth, she strained to his, silently begging for his kiss.</p>
<p>He looked into her eyes, his mouth smiling, but his eyes held a combination of hunger, excitement, and lust. “I will not be able to hold back tonight,” his tone was serious. “I’ve waited too long.” He dipped to her mouth, kissing her gently, but she could feel everything he was holding back. </p>
<p>He pulled back, gazing into her eyes once more. “I need your consent.” She nodded, and his eyes narrowed. </p>
<p>“Out loud, <em>Jennifer.</em>”  His words acted like a whip, and she gasped.</p>
<p>“YES!” she told him.</p>
<p>She watched as a smug satisfaction flew over his face, emphasizing his demonic features. He let go of her wrists, and sat back on his heels, his thighs straddling hers. She tried to reach for him, but he cut her a sharp look, and her hands fell back to the bed, next to her head. He smiled at her in approval.</p>
<p>“Jennifer,” he purred, reaching out with one finger to trace over her hard nipple straining through the sheer nightgown. “You’ve been set up as my sacrifice tonight.” He watched with a small smile as her nipple became impossibly harder. </p>
<p>“Take a breath. Breathe in the candles.” He locked his gaze with hers once more. “Tell me what you smell,” he ordered.</p>
<p>Helpless to do anything other than what he ordered, she inhaled through her nose, taking in the scents of the candles. Sometime after Levi left, the unscented candles took on an essence that had been teasing her, like an almost forgotten memory. The scents that assailed her were more like ideas, rather than actual, concrete items.</p>
<p>She smelled a memory of trust, a suggestion of humor, a whiff of adoration.</p>
<p>And beneath it all, a solid hit of love.</p>
<p><em>”You,”</em> she breathed. “I can smell <em>you</em>.”</p>
<p>Jen watched as his eyes widened a little with wonder, before a wicked grin exploded across his face. “Then let’s fulfill that fantasy for you.”</p>
<p>He fell upon her mouth with skill and hunger, and she matched him, kiss for hungry kiss.</p>
<p>Asmo broke the kiss, only to move his mouth down her throat, sucking on her pulse point. She gasped, and brought her hand up to thread her fingers through his hair, keeping him there. She felt him grin against her throat, before sucking on her throat again. “Here?” he whispered, and not waiting for an answer, sucked at her, drawing her skin through his teeth this time. She let out a sharp sound, and he chuckled again.</p>
<p>“Oh, we are going to have so much fun tonight.”</p>
<p>Ignoring her hand tugging on his hair, he slid further down her body, his hand tracing down her sides, the silk of her nightgown teasing her skin. He sucked at her nipple through the nightgown, and Jen found herself resentful that neither of them were naked. She plucked uselessly at the straps of the gown. </p>
<p>She glanced down at Asmo’s face, only to make eye contact with him as he pulled her nipple into her mouth. The combination of the silk, his saliva, and suction made her core pulse with need. </p>
<p>“Oh, <em>fuuuuck,”</em> she moaned, her displeasure with the gown forgotten. </p>
<p>Asmo's smug look rivalled Lucifer’s as she looked at him. “I did require these gowns for my sacrifices for a reason, you know.”</p>
<p>“I bow to you, oh Asmodeus,” she said, and he chuckled again. </p>
<p>“You will.” The certainty of that statement, growled in his demon voice, made her core pulse again. He grinned as he felt her desire with his powers. His wings flared behind him.</p>
<p>He massaged one breast with his hand, and he returned to sucking at her nipple, hard. He was relentless, ignoring her whimpers and pleading. He only stopped long enough to switch breasts, the damp silk now being rubbed against her whole, aching breast.</p>
<p>He pulled back, once again sitting back on his heels, his thighs straddling hers. He used both hands to massage the wet silk over her chest. Her mews of desperation were increasing in frequency, and she arched into his ministrations. Her hands grabbed at his wrists, and he ignored them. </p>
<p>“You are <em>my</em> sacrifice, Jennifer,” he told her, his tone cool. She would have felt nervous at his tone, but she could see the teasing in his eyes.</p>
<p>He squeezed her breasts together, and she saw a wicked gleam flash over his expression. He grabbed her hands, and made her push her breasts together. “Keep them here,” he ordered. He released her hands and moved to his fly. </p>
<p>He quickly released himself, and Jen’s eyes widened at the sight of the most perfect cock she had ever seen. Asmo grinned as he gave himself a few strokes. “It’s nothing like my brothers’,” he told her, “but it’s very, very pretty.” He leaned forward, kissing her quickly. “Would you like to see it?”</p>
<p>Jen nodded eagerly, and tried to remove her hands from her breasts. Asmo tsked, and sat back. “I said to keep them there, Jennifer,” he reminded her. </p>
<p>“Asmo,” she said, warning him that her patience was thin.</p>
<p>He stroked himself a few more times. He shifted, and suddenly Jen found herself holding his cock between her breasts. Catching on quickly, she pressed them together tighter, and raised her head and licked the tip of his dick. He groaned, and rutted his hips forward. </p>
<p>“I am going to fuck these glorious tits, Jennifer. I am going to come all over them and your face.” His hips pistoned, fucking her breasts, as promised. His wings flared, helping him keep his balance. Jen kept her mouth open, licking the crown of his cock on every thrust, the damp silk of the nightgown easing his way. </p>
<p>His hips sped up, to almost an inhuman speed, moving the silk across Jen’s nipples, causing her to ache between her legs. His breath caught, which was her only warning.</p>
<p>He arched his spine and cum shot from him in ropes, landing in her open mouth, and covering her chin and coating her chest. He let out a low groan, and stuttered his hips forward as he worked to extend his orgasm. He slumped a bit, and took a breath to recover. </p>
<p>He lifted his head to look at Jen, and maintaining eye contact, she deliberately ran her tongue around her mouth, gathering the cum from her face and swallowing it down.</p>
<p>His eyes flared with animal possession, and he reached out and rubbed all of the cum that landed onto her throat and chest into her skin. <em>”Mine,”</em> he growled. </p>
<p>“Yours,” she agreed, fascinated with this unseen primal side of her most affectionate male.</p>
<p>Asmo rolled off her body, and knelt next to her. He eyed her body almost clinically, but as she was going to reach out to him, he reached down with his claws out. </p>
<p>He systematically cut every bit of the nightgown from her body. He carefully shredded the silk, making sure she felt his claws gently brush her skin with every pass. She moaned, the combination of the soft silk and the sharpness of his claws almost too much for her. “Asmo, I want to touch you,” she moaned.</p>
<p>“No,” he told her, as he continued to shred the silk. “Tonight we do what I want.”</p>
<p>She groaned in frustration, and covered her eyes with her hands. </p>
<p>“Jennifer!” his voice was like a slap. </p>
<p>She lowered her hands, and found him staring at her eyes. “Your eyes stay open,” he ordered. “I’ve waited too long to see your lust rise. It’s mine tonight.”</p>
<p>She nodded, holding her breath when she realized that he had stopped shredding the silk. Her body felt like it was on fire. </p>
<p>He brushed the silk aside, like he was digging up a most precious treasure. </p>
<p>“You are absolutely perfect, Jennifer,” he told her, his hands brushing lightly across her abdomen. “I have had many, many sacrifices, but none compare to your perfection.” He leaned down and pressed a reverent kiss on her navel. </p>
<p>“You are a joy,” he continued, as he shifted his body on the bed, lightly kissing his way down her body. “You should be draped in gold and silk, and placed on a dias so that all can come and worship at your feet.” He placed a kiss on her hip, exactly where Levithan had placed his before laying her on the bed. “You already have my brothers and I as your loyal acolytes.”</p>
<p>Her heart stuttered at his sweet words, even as he shifted his body between her legs. He gave her a grin full of lustful sin. “Let your humble acolyte worship you as you deserve.” He rained small kisses all over her inner thighs, and she gasped and pleaded until he finally, <em>finally</em>, locked his mouth over her clit with a wicked suck. </p>
<p>She screamed her pleasure, her hands blindly reaching down and grabbing at his hair and horns, her back arching as he feasted on her, his eyes glowing as her lust flowed into him. </p>
<p>“Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck, Asmo, please! Asmo, please!!” She pleaded with him, her peak still out of reach, although the climb was almost as good. </p>
<p>“No, Jennifer,” he growled into her, his fingers joining his mouth, making her swear again. “You come when I let you come.” He slid two fingers into her pussy, and crooked them in a come hither motion. Her hips would have lifted off of the bed, had he not been holding her down. </p>
<p>She was teetering on the edge, but his magic was holding her back. This was worse than edging, because at least then she could take a breath. This was all build and build and build, only she didn’t know when he’d push her over, which made it build higher. </p>
<p>
  <em>”Asmo, please!”</em>
</p>
<p>He merely chuckled, the vibrations of his voice sending more shockwaves through her. “Jennifer, look at me.”</p>
<p>Jen lifted her head and looked down at the demon between her thighs. His light brown hair was a mess, his face slick with her arousal, and his eyes were glowing as he gazed on her with adoration and love. </p>
<p>“I promise you will come, and you will come harder than you ever have in your life,” he said, earnestly. His face turned wicked. “But you’re going to do it on my cock. Roll over.”</p>
<p>Her cunt pulsed with desire, even as her heart gave a flutter. She somehow managed to turn her body over, and got herself on her hands and knees. She felt Asmo petting her back and praising her as she arched her back for him. </p>
<p>“That’s my Jennifer,” he praised. “Lower your head, and hug that pillow. I can’t be gentle.”</p>
<p>She followed his instructions, and as soon as her upper body was lowered to the bed, he entered her in one smooth motion, causing her to gasp and him to groan. </p>
<p>“You are <em>everything</em>,” he groaned, sheathing his full length in her. “Brace yourself.” That was the only warning she got, before he took all control away from her. </p>
<p>He pounded into her relentlessly, and so fast she couldn’t have pushed back if she even had the energy to do so. He held her hips in his hands, using the leverage to piston himself to hilt on every thrust. </p>
<p>Jen felt overwhelmed with sensation, and out of control. She finally relaxed enough to let go, trusting Asmo to take care of everything. </p>
<p>Asmo felt it, and grinned behind her back. He slowed his pace, and pushed her hips lower onto the mattress. He trailed one hand across her ass, and ran a finger over her asshole. She was so far gone with lust, she didn’t tense at all. He slid his hand around to gather her arousal onto his fingers, making them nice and slick. He brought them back up, and slowly, so slowly, pressed a finger into her unresisting asshole. </p>
<p>Jen gasped at the new sensation, feeling totally <em>full</em>. She pushed back against a little, groaning at how good the friction felt. </p>
<p>Asmo chuckled. “While I can feel how good you feel, I am going to need to hear you. Want more?”</p>
<p>Jen nodded into the pillow. “Yes! Oh, please, yes!”</p>
<p>“You want me to fuck your ass with my fingers while I fuck your pretty cunt with my cock?”</p>
<p>“YES, holy fuck, yes, Asmo!”</p>
<p>That’s all Asmo needed to hear. He slowly slid another finger in her ass, alongside the first, making her pulse with need. Still slowly fucking her with his cock, he added a third finger to her ass, and as soon as she was used to it, he pounced. </p>
<p>He fucked her hard with hands and dick, growling as he felt his balls tighten. He gathered Jen’s lust with his powers…</p>
<p>And let it go. </p>
<p>Jen’s orgasm hit her like a truck, radiating from her core to her limbs, and echoing back her core. Her heart pounded, like if she wasn’t immortal, she would have died. She heard Asmo shout, through the ringing in her ears, and felt his release in her core, which triggered yet another release. </p>
<p>Asmo removed his hand slowly, and collapsed onto her back, her pussy still spasming and milking his dick for all it was worth. He covered all of the skin he could reach with gentle kisses, petting her as she came down from the heights he had lifted her to. </p>
<p>He felt her settle, so he reluctantly removed himself from her, and settled along her side, running his hand up and down her naked spine. She turned her head on the pillow to face him. </p>
<p>“Take your clothes off, Asmo,” she told him. “I need naked cuddles from you.”</p>
<p>He laughed lightly, and shifted back to human form. He made quick work of his clothing and gathered Jen to his chest. “I love you, Jen,” he told her. </p>
<p>She smiled at him, hearing his heartbeat speed up under her ear. “I love you, too, Asmo.”</p>
<p>He stilled, realizing that it was the first time she had ever said those words. </p>
<p>She chuckled, the side of her face smooshed against his chest. “Yes, I mean it. You are very much worth loving, Asmodeus.” </p>
<p>His arms tightened around her, and he kissed the top of her head.  “We are so lucky to have you.”</p>
<p>“Yes, yes you are,” she said, sleepily. “Now tired. Sleep now.”</p>
<p>“Of course, my petal drop.”</p>
<p>———————————</p>
<p>Beel looked at his phone again and snorted. Belphie feeling his amusement through their bond, asked, “What’s up?”</p>
<p>Beel looked across the room at Levi. “What did you do?”</p>
<p>An unrepentant Levi grinned. “I made a sacrifice at Asmo’s altar.”</p>
<p>The rest of the Brothers groaned in both amusement and horror. </p>
<p>“The humans in the hotel AND the casino are dropping everything to fuck each other like rabbits over there,” Beel reported. “My security team has been taking turns to jack off.” </p>
<p>“Well, at least they’re still taking security seriously,” Lucifer pointed out. </p>
<p>“I could have gone my whole life not knowing when and how often this team needs to jerk their ducks,” mumbled Beel, sending his Brothers into another round of laughter.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Just... wow.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Clean Up on Hellscape 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Diavolo rolled his neck and shoulders, and stretched his wing to their full extension, trying to hide his excitement. Lucifer and Barbatos flanked him, both of them trying to hide their smiles at their eager king.</p>
<p>“When was the last time you let yourself loose?” Lucifer asked him, a grin tugging at his mouth. It was hard not to laugh watching his friend bounce on the balls of his feet in excitement. He shared an amused look with Barb.</p>
<p>“It’s been centuries, at least,” Diavolo told him. “There’s usually no thrill in it.” The three demons stopped their conversation as a showers of sparks shot into the sky from the four corners of the estate they were observing. All levity was lost as they focused on the task at hand.</p>
<p>“They’re in place,” Lucifer said formally. “Orders?” </p>
<p>Diavolo stood straight and tall, holding his wings ready to launch. “Review positions,” he told Lucifer.</p>
<p>Lucifer readied his wings as well, as he updated his king. “The admiral is in full control of the water system, and has Lotan in the moat. The general has his legion in the sky, but cloaked. Satan has blocked all of the portals that lead out of the estate, including the ones they don’t think we know about.” He smiled grimly at that fact. They had decided to leave the portals leading into the building alone, so as to not draw attention to their efforts.</p>
<p>“Asmodeus is still in the human realm, but he is in contact with his network inside. He reports that Astroneth is not aware of our operations. Commander Beelzebub has the ground troops ready. Belphegor is inside, clearing the high level targets.” </p>
<p><em>Well, if you count large scale murder as clearing targets,</em> Lucifer thought to himself.</p>
<p>Diavolo nodded. “Excellent. Proceed. Barbatos and I will join you once all is complete.”</p>
<p>Without another word, Lucifer launched himself into the sky, and it was as a hush fell upon the entire realm. </p>
<p>Even Hell held its breath when the Morning Star was on the hunt.</p>
<p>Diavolo sighed as he watched his best friend soar into the sky. </p>
<p>“One of my biggest regrets is never having sex with that creature,” Dia joked with Barbatos.</p>
<p>Barb snorted, even as he kept his eyes on their surroundings. “You needed a friend, not a fuck,” he told him, startling Dia into laughter. The two men exchanged a grin.</p>
<p>“If Jen would hurry up and get knocked up, maybe I could have both?” Diavolo teased, and Barbatos blushed. </p>
<p>“My Lord,” Barb began, but Diavolo interrupted.</p>
<p>“No, not from you, Barb. Say my name,” he ordered, instantly amused as Barb’s face flushed even darker. “Oh, good to know,” he purred.</p>
<p>His flirting was interrupted by the east wall of the estate in front of them fully collapsed, the ground troops surging forward and trapping the fleeing demons in a pincer attack with Mammon’s air legion. Beelzebub’s deep voice reverberated through the ground as he commanded his troops, and Mammon was nothing but a blur as he led his legion in the utter destruction of the traitors to the crown.</p>
<p>The flush left Barbatos’s face as he looked at the destruction in grim satisfaction. The destruction would be total, and when Diavolo joined the battle, House Astroneth would be wiped from every timeline. </p>
<p>Not bad for his first six months as king.</p>
<p>---------------------------</p>
<p>Belphegor slid his knife into his latest victim’s throat, and tossed her aside. Normally he’d ensure that there was nothing left to regenerate, but the king had that covered today. He made his way further into the inner sanctum, keeping to the shadows. </p>
<p>He could feel Beel through the twin bond, the large demon’s quiet confidence flooding him and calming him. It was taking everything Belphie had to not go berserk and lay waste to everyone here, regardless of fault.</p>
<p>They fucked with his girl.</p>
<p>He guessed the only joy he could get out of it was that they greatly underestimated her.</p>
<p>He entered another room, and only habit kept him still. </p>
<p>It was a throne room. Astroneth was setting himself up as some sort of king.</p>
<p>The knife against his throat didn’t surprise him, but the stasis spell that crept over him <em>did</em>.</p>
<p>“Finally, I get to destroy the Executioner,” a voice hissed.</p>
<p>-----------------------------------<br/>Beel felt Belphie’s alarm through their bond, though he wasn’t terrified, Beel felt deep concern. He cut effortlessly through his current opponent and leaned his sword on his shoulder and pulled his D.D.D. out of his pocket and sent the text they had planned for this purpose. </p>
<p>--------------------------------</p>
<p>Jen stomped angrily out of the coven’s nest, Asmo on her heels, amused. “How dare they abandon those babies?!” she asked angrily. Asmo ran a hand soothingly down her arm.</p>
<p>“You heard them, my taffy cake. New covens equal new competition, and they stop them at the root.” He grinned, dropping a kiss on her hair. “They are very stupid. No wonder you kill so many of them.”</p>
<p>“They’re just going to be raised in the Devildom, now you know,” she told him, calming down. She tossed him a saucy look as she rounded the car Mammon had stolen to get in the driver’s seat. “Hell’s very own coven.”</p>
<p>Asmo laughed as he sat in the passenger’s seat. “Raised by a degenerate sorcerer and a bored angel.” They laughed as she started the car, but stopped as their D.D.D.s chimed with the group text. Asmo pulled his out to read it aloud to Jen as she pulled away from the curb.</p>
<p>
  <strong>Beel: Send him in. Belphie needs back up</strong>
</p>
<p>Jen grinned and pulled the chain that held her silver whistle from her shirt, and blew.</p>
<p>----------------------------------</p>
<p>An eerie howl sounded over the scene, and Belphie grinned as a hellhound the size of a pickup truck crashed into his attacker. Ajax made quick work of eating the unknown demon, and with the demon’s destruction, the stasis spell disappeared. </p>
<p>Ajax quickly shook himself down to the size of a pony, and covered Belphie with snuffles and hellhound wiggles. </p>
<p>“Ok, ok!” Belphie calmed the hound with pets and scratches. He patted the hellhound one more time on the head. The time for stealth was over, and he grinned at Ajax. “Ready to raise Hell, buddy?” </p>
<p>Ajax wagged his tail and eagerly followed his second favorite being in his trail of bloodshed.</p>
<p>--------------------------------------</p>
<p>Diavolo watched as the walls continued to fall, and snorted when he saw Leviathan viciously tear down the seaward wall once he saw his brothers were tearing down walls, too.</p>
<p>Barbatos’s eyes glowed, and he opened a portal in front of Diavolo. “It’s time,” he told his king.</p>
<p>Diavolo grinned and walked through the portal.</p>
<p>--------------------------------</p>
<p>Lucifer had tracked down Astroneth and was currently holding him captive in the throne room Belphegor had found. Belphie had joined him, covered in blood, and Jen’s hellhound wasn’t any cleaner. </p>
<p>After instructing their legions and minions to evacuate, his other brothers joined him in the throne room. He had a brief feeling of regret that Jen and Asmodeus would miss this, but shrugged it away. This was Diavolo’s moment, not the avatars’.</p>
<p>Diavolo entered through the portal, Barbatos on his heels, and surveyed the scene in front of him.</p>
<p>Lucifer had set the stage well. The amount of hubris and pride that poured off of Astroneth was almost too much to absorb, so Lucifer had decided to help him out. </p>
<p>He had splayed the traitor across the phoney throne at the head of the throne room, and had jammed a crown of broken glass upon his head. </p>
<p>“My lord,” Lucifer bowed mockingly toward the pretender. “Might I present the King of Infernal Realm? His Majesty, Lord Diavolo.” He then bowed to Diavolo. “My lord, might I present to you the Traitor King, Lord Astroneth.” He didn’t bother hiding the disgust in his voice.</p>
<p>Diavolo rose himself into the air, and hovered in front of the traitor. “I wish I could say that I am pleased to meet you,” the king said, “but you’ll have to excuse me. I don’t take well to pretenders to the throne.” He gathered his magic to himself, internally marvelling how much easier it came to his fingertips now that the realm was his.</p>
<p>“You know no one can lie to me,” he told the cowering noble in front of him. He made a show of looking around the pretend throne room. “From the looks of this, you not only conspired against me, but my father as well.” He hovered closer to the pretender. “You have also tried to have a member of my council assassinated.” He pushed his magic at the demon.</p>
<p>The demon on the throne groaned. “She wasn’t a council member then,” he moaned, causing growling and hissing from the assembled council before him. </p>
<p>Diavolo held a hand up, stopping the noise. “Then why focus on her? It makes sense that you would undermine my father and I, but not why you would focus on a human.”</p>
<p>Astroneth snorted. “That woman is no more human than I am. And she actively encouraged the rabble to rise above their station. I was facing a rebellion, and she was interfering with my plans for the throne.”</p>
<p>The men all grinned at that, and Diavolo watched Lucifer’s eyes glow with the hit of pride from his brothers.</p>
<p>“Well, that’s all I need to know,” he told the pretender, his tone conversational. “Barb, get them out of here.” Barbatos nodded, and created a portal, ushering the brothers through it before following and closing the gate behind him.</p>
<p>Once he was alone, his visage changed, and he reveled in the feeling of power that flowed through him. He released his true form, and chuckled cruelly as the demon in front of him went insane from the sight of him. </p>
<p>He floated through the ceiling and into the sky, expanding his consciousness over the entirety of the estate. He searched in his mind for every demon spark in the area, and systematically shredded and destroyed every one of them, sending them to oblivion. </p>
<p>Once he was done with that, he pulled himself back, and flew back and forth over the area. Using his magic, fists, and will, he removed the entire estate from existence. Once the building and hidden tunnels disappeared, he smoothed the land and made it new again.</p>
<p>He further pulled back, until he was the same Diavolo everyone was acquainted with, and flew to the gathering on the hill. He was unsurprised to see that his father had made his way to the site. He landed in front of the large red demon. </p>
<p>“Well, how do you like your new port?” he asked his dad with a grin.</p>
<p>Reggath rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Always with the dramatics with you.”</p>
<p>--------------------------------------------</p>
<p>Asmo was helping Jen pack up when he got the alert on his D.D.D. He smiled, and turned to Jen. “It’s done, my feather duster!”</p>
<p>She snorted at the nickname. “Sweet, we can go home now?” she asked. Asmo gathered her into his arms and kissed her gently. </p>
<p>“Now that we know you won’t throw yourself into a pitched demon battle, yes, my picture frame.”</p>
<p>“Seriously, do you just look around the room and decide that’s what my nickname is going to be?” she teased. He laughed.</p>
<p>“<em>Of course</em> not, my rumpled pillow!” She pushed him away and shook her head at him. </p>
<p>“I love you, you weirdo. Let’s go, I want to check on the kids,” she said, grabbing her bags.</p>
<p>Asmo also grabbed some bags and chuckled. “They’re with Solomon and Simeon. How much trouble can they get in?” he asked.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I really thought I managed to write myself into a corner. BUT I spent the last week rereading the story and reacquainted myself with everyone, and it was like getting a second wind. Thanks for being patient with me while I figured it out!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Parenting? or Zookeeping?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Solomon was in trouble. </p>
<p>He tried to breathe as little as possible, so as not to give away his location. He had not chosen his spot well at all, and discovery was imminent. </p>
<p>Rapid footsteps tapped their way toward him, and he stopped breathing entirely. If he was discovered, the whole thing would be over.</p>
<p>With an abruptness that startled him, even though he half expected it, the curtain concealing him was swept aside. Solomon found himself looking at a very pleased four year old human child. </p>
<p>“Oh, my stars, you found me!” he exclaimed, and he bent over and tickled the little human. Their grin grew, but not a sound escaped them. He swept them up into his arms and carried them back into the main room.</p>
<p>“I have lost the game!” he announced dramatically, as he carried the small child back into the living room of the cottage. He walked over to where Simeon was standing with the child’s twin, and the angel grinned at him.</p>
<p>“You are a lousy hide and seek player, sorcerer,” Simeon teased, scooping the child from Solomon’s arms. The child rubbed their eyes, sleepily. “And it’s time for a nap, little ones.” He stooped and grabbed the other child’s hand. “Let’s go lay you down, and you can play some more later.” </p>
<p>Solomon smiled at his friend leading the twins into the bedroom, before turning his attention to the adolescent sitting quietly and reading in a chair in the corner of the room. His smile grew a little bit as he watched the serious girl read the gigantic tome in her lap. The book was almost as large as her, but he knew better than to suggest she place it on a table to read instead.</p>
<p>His new apprentice was stubborn, but brilliant. Linds was the kind of student sorcerers searched their whole lives for. </p>
<p>Aside from the raw talent and power she had as an earth mage, the necromancy and witchcraft the demon had forced into her made her more creative and innovative. And the fact that he was able to train her as she entered into adolescence, one of the most powerful times in a human’s life?</p>
<p>Well, let’s just say it was a good thing that he gave up his ambitions for world domination a couple thousand years ago. </p>
<p>He felt Simeon’s presence appear at his side, and he turned to his friend. “Thank you,” he said quietly, so that Linds couldn’t overhear.</p>
<p>Simeon smiled that enigmatic angel smile that Jen claimed drove her nuts. “Of course,” he replied, just as quietly. He reached out and touched the back of Solomon’s hand. “Anything you need.”</p>
<p>The two men shared a loaded gaze, only to startle when the sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted them. They looked over at Linds, who was staring back at them with a wicked and knowing grin.</p>
<p>“Sorry for interrupting, “ she said, sounding anything but sorry, her eyes twinkling. “But we’re about to have company.” A knock sounded on the door, making both men look at her in surprise. She closed the giant tome, and heaved it off of her lap and onto the side table. “I’ll get it.”</p>
<p>Before either of the men could stop her, she placed a hand on the door and closed her eyes for a second. Her eyes popped open, and she grinned. “It’s Jen! And another of her husbands?” She shook her head. “How many does she have?” she wondered, and she opened the door.</p>
<p>“Hi Jen! C’mon in!” she greeted. Linds smiled at the demon standing next to Jen. “I’m Linds, and those are my two new dads, Simeon and Solomon.”</p>
<p>Jen’s laugh rang out, and the demon next to her executed a courtly bow with a twinkle in his eye. “An absolute <em>pleasure</em> to meet you, Miss Linds! I am your new Uncle Asmo!” Asmo straightened from his bow with a grin, and gestured to Linds. “Lead on, my lady, and thank you for inviting us into your home!” As Linds stepped back, Asmo placed his hand on the small of Jen’s back and guided her over the threshold.</p>
<p>Solomon felt himself blush, and Simeon wasn’t in much better shape. He looked helplessly at Jen, who took pity on him. </p>
<p>“Linds,” she asked, “where are the twins? I’d like to check on them.”</p>
<p>Linds gave an exaggerated sigh, like only twelve year olds can. “They <em>just</em> went down for a nap,” she told Jen, hands on her hips. Jen merely raised an eyebrow at her, and Linds deflated a bit. “C’mon, I bet they’re not asleep yet, though.” </p>
<p>The men watched as the small girl led Jen to the back of the cottage where the twins had been laid down to sleep. Solomon smiled to himself as Asmo visibly restrained himself until they heard the bedroom door close.</p>
<p>Before the click of the latch had finished, Solomon found himself in the warm embrace of his oldest friend. “How are you?” Asmo asked him. </p>
<p>Solomon returned the hug. “Better now. I was drunk for a bit at first.” They pulled apart and Simeon laughed quietly.</p>
<p>“He was drunk for a LOT,” he told Asmo, and Solomon chuckled ruefully. The men moved to the living room and took their seats. Asmo sent Solomon a grin when Simeon chose to sit next to the sorcerer on the love seat.</p>
<p>Jen walked back into the living room, without Linds. “She cuddled up with the twins and passed out,” she told them. “Poor kid is exhausted.” Jen sat on the couch, and Asmo immediately curled up into her. She wrapped her arm around him and kissed his head.</p>
<p>Solomon frowned. “I haven’t had her work any magic yet,” he told them. “She’s just reading the basics right now.” Jen shook her head.</p>
<p>“It’s nothing you’ve done,” she assured him. “But she’s been kicked out of her house, living on the streets, taking care of a couple of orphaned kids, dealing with a rogue demon, handling magic she shouldn’t have access to, moved to Hell, and has decided to adopt two dads. It’s a lot for a little body to handle.”</p>
<p>Simeon and Solomon glanced at each other and nodded. “We need to find our unconventional family a more permanent home,” Simeon mused. Solomon nodded and spoke lowly in Simeon’s ear.</p>
<p>Jen and Asmo shared a sly look while Solomon and Simeon talked about finding a house.</p>
<p>“My apartment in the palace will be empty within the week,” Jen said. “It can easily be remodeled into a three bedroom suite. And the palace has those warded working rooms already, so the kids can learn safely.”</p>
<p>Solomon’s brow furrowed. “Will Lord Diavolo allow that? I’m not in his best graces at the moment,” he said with regret. Simeon rubbed his arm, offering comfort.</p>
<p>Asmo watched with glee, and tapped Jen on the knee. “Sparkle Toes, why don’t you take Solomon outside and call Barbatos and tell him the idea? We don’t want to wake the babies with extra chatter.” Jen let her eyes sparkle at him before turning her attention to Solomon. </p>
<p>“That’s a great idea.” She stood, and walked toward the door. “C’mon, Solomon. Let’s see if we can get Barb on our side.” Solomon followed her outside.</p>
<p>Once the two humans were outside, Asmo turned his gleeful demeanor onto Simeon. Simeon looked warily at the Avatar of Lust. “What?” he asked.</p>
<p>Asmo grinned. “First of all, thank you for saving him from himself,” Asmo began. His grin got bigger. “But I can’t help but notice you didn’t even blink at Jen’s three bedroom comment.”</p>
<p>Simeon’s eyes widened as he remembered who he was talking to.</p>
<p>Asmo continued. “Three bedrooms. One for Linds, who is <em>adorable</em>, by the way; one for the twins, who I can’t wait to meet; and one for the two of you.” His grin got wicked. “My Solomon’s libido may have been turned off, but yours certainly <em>hasn’t</em>, Simeon.” His smile fell, replaced with a firm glare.</p>
<p>“So I need to ask, <em>angel</em>, what are your intentions toward my oldest friend?’ Simeon watched as Asmo barely held back the bloodlust. He needed to answer this carefully.</p>
<p>“My intentions are honorable, Lord Asmodeus,” Simeon said, quietly and clearly.</p>
<p>“How long?”</p>
<p>“How long what?” Simeon asked, confused.</p>
<p>Asmo stared intently at the angel. “How long have you known he was your mate?”</p>
<p>Simeon felt his stomach drop. Leave it to the Avatar of Lust to sense the bond. “Not long, actually. I felt the pull the night I pulled him from Hell’s Kitchen for you.”</p>
<p>Asmo’s demeanor changed abruptly. He beamed sunnily back at the angel. “That’s wonderful! I was worried that all of his whoring around may have damaged your bond!” The demon tapped his finger against his cheek, lost in thought for a moment. “I was going to ask Diavolo if I could reverse the curse, but I don’t think I will.”</p>
<p>Simeon’s jaw dropped, and Asmo laughed. “I’m not punishing you, you silly angel!” He shook his head. “I’m <em>helping</em> you.” He crossed the room and dropped next to Simeon on the love seat. “Solomon has spent untold empty years chasing pleasure after pleasure.” Asmo grabbed Simeon’s hand. “YOU deserve to know the good man I met so long ago, before he became jaded and bored. Take this year to learn each other, raise those babies, become a family.” Asmo’s eyes flashed wickedly. </p>
<p>“And I promise to babysit the week the curse breaks. And send you a gift basket of fun stuff to try.”</p>
<p>--------------------------</p>
<p>Jen and Solomon stood in the garden of the tiny cottage. Jen surveyed the area with a critical eye. “Yes, you all need to find a better place. This place screams ‘quiet, child-hating neighborhood’, And those twins are going to blossom soon, and four-year-olds are loud!” She pulled her D.D.D. out of her pocket. </p>
<p>“Wait, you’re really going to call Barbatos?” Solomon asked her, surprised.</p>
<p>Jen looked at him, confused. “What else did you think I was going to do?”<br/>Solomon dug his toe into the dirt. “I thought we were giving Asmo time to yell at Simeon for taking advantage of me.” </p>
<p>Jen quirked her eyebrow up. “<em>Did</em> he take advantage of you?”</p>
<p>“No.”</p>
<p>Jen sighed. “Then why- you know what, it doesn’t matter. I’m calling Barb now.” She hit a button and held the phone to her ear. After a moment, she began talking. </p>
<p>“Barb? Hey! Yeah, I’m back. How’d it go at the estate?” She paused, listening. “Oh man, sorry I missed that! Hey, I want to run something by you right quick…” she continued talking, laying out her idea. </p>
<p>“Oh, <em>totally!</em> That makes perfect sense.” Another pause. “Yeah, sure thing. See you soon! Can’t wait to see you again! Bye!” She pulled the phone away from her ear, and disconnected the call.</p>
<p>“Well?” Solomon asked, impatiently.</p>
<p>Jen held up a finger, shushing him. She slid her D.D.D. back into her pocket, then reached up and grabbed the whistle that hung around her neck. “One sec, I haven’t seen my dog in a bit.” She blew the whistle, and immediately, a low howl sounded from all around them. Ajax stepped from a shadow and wiggled in excitement over to Jen. She started making a fuss and cooing at the hellhound.</p>
<p>Solomon started to lose his patience. “Jen, what did Barb say!?” Ajax growled low in his throat, but Jen patted the hellhound reassuringly. Simeon and Asmo stepped out of the cottage and Asmo joined Jen at the hellhound’s side. </p>
<p>“Ok, so,” Jen began. “Barb likes the idea, but Dia has to meet the kids first.” Simeon and Solomon nodded their heads, agreeing. </p>
<p>“And Dia wants to check on Solomon’s curse. He doesn’t want to traumatize the kids if you start whoring around again,” she said, firmly. </p>
<p>Solomon rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t that bad-” he started to say, before he was interrupted by three voices.</p>
<p>“You were.”</p>
<p>He sighed in defeat, acknowledging them. “Alright, when does he want to meet?”</p>
<p>Jen flashed a grin. “He’s on his way, along with Reggath and Michael.” She grabbed Asmo’s arm and Ajax’s shoulder. Ajax let out a low howl, and the three of them disappeared from sight.</p>
<p>Solomon felt lost and confused, and started to panic, when he felt an arm wrap around his shoulders. “Come inside,” Simeon told him, quietly. “We do this together.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Do you all want to see Ajax? I commissioned his picture from the super talented artist, cosmic-whorror on tumblr. Here's our boy! https://cosmic-whorror.tumblr.com/post/645196339169411072/ajax-the-hellhound-for-kimbertmusings-%E1%B4%A5</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. New Beginnings?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TW: just a tiny bit of smut at the beginning.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jen remembered to have Ajax bring them to the grounds outside of the palace gate, rather than straight to her rooms. Diavolo got rather pissy that the hellhound could waltz through any barrier and ward made, and Jen rather liked Diavolo in a good mood.</p>
<p>She let go of Ajax’s shoulder, intending to send him ahead to their rooms, but Ajax apparently missed her while she was away and leaned stubbornly against her hip. She smiled, and ruffled his neck fur. Asmo leaned against her other side, wrapping an arm around her waist and nuzzling her cheek.</p>
<p>“Light of my lamp,” he told her, “I need to make an appearance at court.” He gently grabbed her chin with his other hand and brought her face up for a kiss. </p>
<p>It was gentle, and sweet, and carried an air of seduction that only the kiss of the Avatar of Lust could command. </p>
<p>He pulled away slightly with a smile. “I love you.”</p>
<p>Jen smiled back. “I love you, too.”</p>
<p>He released her with a saucy grin and called for his Little Ds. The little sprites appeared, and keeping a wary distance from Ajax, surrounded their patron and folded him away in a blink.</p>
<p>She sighed happily, and keeping her fingers in Ajax’s ruff, climbed the massive stairway to the palace doors. The guards challenged her immediately, and stood down only when she had identified herself. She nodded in approval as she walked through, pretending not to see the sighs of relief from the guards.</p>
<p><em>Belphie and Beelezebub must have finally put the fear of oblivion in them,</em> she thought.</p>
<p>Following Ajax into the massive entry hall, she took a moment to adjust her eyes to the Devildom’s preference for magic lighting. After the harsh sunshine and neon monstrosities LAs Vegas, it felt almost soothing.</p>
<p>“My Lady,” a timid voice sounded beside her. She glanced aside to see one of the chambermaids a few paces away, shooting nervous looks at Ajax. “Your rooms have been cleaned, and Master Barbatos asks if he can join you for the evening meal?” Jen almost missed that last little bit, as the maid got more and more quiet the more and more Ajax started paying attention to her.</p>
<p>Taking pity on the poor maid, Jen smiled and gave her assent. The maid turned on her heel and dashed out of the entry hall. Jen chuckled. “C’mon, bud. Let’s get you hidden so these folks stop freaking out.”</p>
<p>As the pair approached her rooms, Ajax became more and more excited, his body almost folding in half with how hard his tail was wagging. He didn’t wait for Jen to open the door all of the way. The second she cracked the door, he forced his way through and barrelled through the living room and into her bedroom. A happy woofing sound followed, then a loud <em>thump!</em></p>
<p>“Aw, c’mon, doll, call him off of me. I’m naked here!”</p>
<p>Jen laughed, and after making sure the door was sealed behind her, made her way into her bedroom to see the youngest of her men being pinned down on the bed by an excited hellhound. Luckily, Belphie was under the blankets, because...</p>
<p>“Oh no, you don’t!” Jen snapped. “You get yourself and your DROOL off of my bed!”</p>
<p>Ajax pinned his ears back and whined a little, but obeyed his mistress. He slid off of the bed, and slinked his way out of the room, tail between his legs. </p>
<p>Jen wasn’t having it. “None of that. You can’t guilt me. You know the rules.” Ajax sighed heavily as he turned around and settled into his spot on the hearth.</p>
<p>Belphie grinned from the bed. He had pulled himself up into a sitting position, and let the blankets cover him from the waist down. He raised his arms and crossed them behind his head, displaying a toned chest that sent Jen into distraction. “Don’t be so hard on him,” he told her, with a glint in his eye that showed that he noticed her checking him out.</p>
<p>She closed the door to her bedroom, locking the hellhound into the living room. She shook her head as she crossed the room to him. “While I adore how much he adores you, I don’t get why it’s only you he does this to.” She climbed onto the bed and crawled to the headboard, dropping a chaste kiss on his nose. </p>
<p>He tugged her to him, and started pulling her shirt up. “I need your skin, doll,” he told her. She helped him tug the shirt over her head, and he grinned when he saw she wasn’t wearing a bra. “Remind me to ask Asmo to dress you every day,” he told her, then he leaned forward and sucked a nipple into his mouth, hard.</p>
<p>Jen gasped and arched her back to be closer to him. “Belphie!”</p>
<p>“Hmmmm?” he murmured, pulling back a little. “Oh, Ajax is from me.” He dove into tasting her breasts again, kneading and nipping across them.</p>
<p>Jen shook her head to clear the fog of lust surrounding her. “You gave me Ajax?” she breathed, as she thread her fingers into his hair, holding him to her chest.</p>
<p>He chuckled, sending little shockwaves across her skin. “Yes. The day after I found out you were meant to be ours, but I couldn’t touch you. I got you someone to watch your back and someone you could touch and no one would question.” His words were cut off with a deep kiss, and Jen grabbed his face in her hands and poured all of her thanks and love into her kiss.</p>
<p>She pulled away and slid off of the bed, but before Belphie could object, she was shimmying out of her pants and panties. She pulled the covers back to expose a very hard Belphegor. She took him in hand and stroked him a couple of times. “Seems like I owe you a thank you,” she grinned.</p>
<p>Belphie leaned back against the headboard, hands back behind his head, his attitude cocky. “Seems like you do, doll,” he told her. He rolled his hips a little in time with her strokes. “What do you have in mind?”</p>
<p>She gave a little twist of her wrist, but besides a flare of his nostrils, he gave no indication that this slow handjob was affecting him at all. “Hmmmm, what do you think would be appropriate?” Jen gave a little grin. “Keeping in mind that we only have a few hours, I have dinner plans with Barbatos.”</p>
<p>His lips twitched with suppressed humor. “I’m <em>Sloth,</em> doll. Least amount of effort for the best results,” he scoffed. “<em>Hours!</em>” He grinned at her laugh. “Now get that perfect pussy of yours up here and ride me until we both can’t see straight.”</p>
<p>Still chuckling as she straddled him, she gave him a deep kiss and sank onto him, making them both groan. She rolled her hips, and he lazily pumped his to match, keeping his arms behind his head. She braced her hands against the headboard and used the leverage to roll her body over his. </p>
<p>He hissed, “That’s it, doll, fuck me. Fucking <em>use</em> me.” She sped up, but kept her strokes deep. She could feel her pussy pulse around him, and knew it wouldn’t be too long before she exploded. </p>
<p>She could feel Belphie start to twitch inside of her, and she changed her angle slightly to grind her clit against him. It only took three or four more pushes before the dam broke, and pleasure poured over her. She felt Belphie release, and heard his low groan. She leaned her forehead against his, and he lowered his arms to wrap them around her. “I love you, doll,” he said, softly. </p>
<p>She kissed him gently. “How could I not love someone who’s been looking out for me for so long,” she told him, just as softly. “Thank you for letting me be me.”</p>
<p>He slid down the bed, bringing her with him and settling her on his chest. “To stop you from doing what you do would be like blowing up a star,” he told her. “You are magnificent.” He nuzzled her hair. “I’m glad you made me yours.”</p>
<p>They dozed off in each other’s arms, together.</p>
<p>-------------------------------------</p>
<p>Diavolo exited Barbatos’s portal with his father and Michael. He glanced around, curiously. He didn’t often need to be in the residential parts of his realms. Folks in these areas tended to stick to themselves and their families, none of them powerful enough to worry about the higher caste nonsense of the capital.</p>
<p>He saw a charming garden first, before he lifted his eyes to one of the smallest houses he had ever seen. Eyebrows raised, he turned to his father, who had been watching him with a knowing grin.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Reggath told him. “This is the house you’ll be staying in with me and Michael.” The large red demon laughed. “If we can clear out the rugrat infestation first.” He grabbed Michael’s hand and dragged the archangel to the door. </p>
<p>Diavolo sent a pained expression over to Barb, who merely smiled. </p>
<p>Dia growled. “Do not tell me that I brought this on myself,” he ordered.</p>
<p>Barb rolled his eyes (to Dia’s secret delight. His Barb was slowly loosening up.) and merely said, “Shall we?” and walked to the front door of the cottage.</p>
<p>Reggath and Michael had already entered, and had taken seats on the small loveseat together. Simeon smiled a greeting, then excused himself to gather the children. Dia observed Solomon sitting uncharacteristically quietly in an armchair in a corner. He scanned the sorcerer quickly and thoroughly, and found that his curse was definitely still in place, along with… oh....</p>
<p>Dia exchanged a knowing grin with his father, and Reggath took over. “Looks like the human hornball found something worth living for,” the former king grinned. Solomon jumped, like he was guilty of something, but Michael waved him back down.</p>
<p>“This is a <em>good</em> thing, young Solomon,” the archangel told him (Dia snorted at “Young Solomon”. The human was ancient even by immortal terms). “Living for others is good! Especially for humans. I despaired of you ever finding your way.”</p>
<p>Solomon relaxed as he realized that he wasn't about to be blasted across the room. “Did you ever worry about Jen like that?” he asked curiously.</p>
<p>The three other men in the room laughed at the question, confusing the sorcerer. Dia took pity on him. </p>
<p>“That woman’s whole existence is because she cared for others more than herself,” he told him.</p>
<p>Reggath nodded. “It’s also her biggest weakness, so I’m glad those seven finally figured it out. They’ll keep her grounded.” He reached out and threaded his fingers through Michael’s waiting hand. “I can’t wait to go back in the field again now that she’s back. I fucking hate the paperwork.”</p>
<p>At that moment, Simeon returned to the room, leading a trio of very small children. He stepped aside, and ushered them into the room.</p>
<p>Dia looked on in amusement when the oldest of the three stepped forward, her skin darker than his, with a tumble of unruly curls. “I’m Linds,” the tiny spitfire announced. “And you are NOT taking me from my two dads.”</p>
<p>Dia shot an amused look at Barb, who nodded back. “I wouldn’t dream of it, Linds. You are clearly made for them.” He stood, and smiled in approval when she didn’t step back or stand down, even though he towered over her tiny frame. “I am King Diavolo, and that is my father, Reggath, and his mate, the Archangel Michael.” </p>
<p>She nodded at everyone, and glanced behind Diavolo at Barbatos. “And who is that?” she asked.</p>
<p>“My Barbatos,” he said without thinking.</p>
<p>Guffaws from the loveseat and a hidden groan from behind him alerted him to his blunder. He looked into Linds’ eyes and saw the hidden amusement. He started at the depths of the soul that peeked out.</p>
<p>“You are a very old soul,” he told the youngster in front of him, ignoring his laughing father. “I’m going to read your aura now, alright?”</p>
<p>Linds nodded, and he passed his gaze over her. He frowned at what he found. </p>
<p>“Solomon is a very good choice of father for you,” he told her. He turned to Michael. “Can I ask a favor of the Celestial Realm on behalf of this child?”</p>
<p>Michael stood, and did his own study of Linds’s aura. He nodded. “No favor, we will help gladly. Raphael is on his way, with young Luke.”</p>
<p>Solomon walked over to Linds and wrapped his arm over her shoulders, protectively. “What’s the problem?” he asked, a threat in his voice. Simeon still held the twins behind him.</p>
<p>“Nothing we can’t fix,” Michael assured him. “Someone has tampered with her power font, and if we don’t fix it, she’ll go insane by sixteen.”</p>
<p>“OH! Satan said something like that when he found me!” Linds exclaimed. </p>
<p>“Satan?” Diavolo asked her.</p>
<p>“Yeah, one of the billion husbands that Jen lady has,” she explained. </p>
<p>Laughter filled the room, and Dia kneeled in front of Linds. “She only has seven, little one,” he told her.</p>
<p>“Only,” she repeated sarcastically.</p>
<p>Dia peered around Simeon to the pair of small children hiding behind Simeon. He smiled gently at them, after reading their auras. “Hello, little ones,” he said kindly, one arm outstretched in greeting. </p>
<p>They walked slowly from behind Simeon, and walked up to the friendly demon.</p>
<p>“Hewwo,” said one, very quietly. Dia held both arms out, and the twins walked quickly into his embrace. He held them tightly, and he felt some of the magic of his realm fill up their empty power fonts.</p>
<p>“Holy shit, son,” Reggath exclaimed, but quietly. “You’ve all found the roots of a new coven.” Simeon nodded.</p>
<p>“That’s what Mammon told us, but I’m afraid I don’t understand what’s happening,” the angel said.</p>
<p>Reggath explained. “When new roots are formed, they look everywhere for nutrients, aka power. Covens in the human realm are greedy and power hungry, and they block all new roots from seeking power, killing them as they sprout. Less competition, more power for the old school covens.” He shook his head. “And they call <em>demons</em> brutal.”</p>
<p>He continued. “By bringing them here, the King will instinctively connect them to the realm’s power, tying them to the Infernal Realm, instead of the human realm.” He grinned, “Witches instinctively try to give back everything they take, power wise, from their home realm. Due to the Earth Realm witches’ greed, they just handed the Devildom the very power we trade with them for.</p>
<p>“They just made themselves irrelevant to the three realms.”</p>
<p>In the meantime, oblivious to what was going on around them, Dia and the twins were healing the twins’ starving power fonts. Dia watched carefully as their auras gulped down enough power to feed their empty souls, ready to step in if they took too much. When he deemed them full enough, he carefully connected their souls to the realm, so a steady stream of power trickled in at all times, to keep them topped up, but not overflowing.</p>
<p>He released them from his embrace, and smiled at their now happy faces. Where they looked sad and gray and nondescript before, they clearly looked like a sunny and happy brother and sister. “Now, little ones. What shall we call you?” He rose a hand quickly. “Not your real names. You tell those to your fathers and sister at night, in the dark, like a secret. Tell no one else.”</p>
<p>The little boy, who was now grinning ear to ear, announced, “You should call me Mischa!” His hair had gained color now, and it was bright and gold, like new straw. His cheery eyes shined like sapphires, and he had a hint of mischief that Diavolo was happy to see.</p>
<p>The little girl, who was also smiling, said, “Call me Riley. I heard it on a TikTok once, I like it.” Her hair had settled into a deep brown, and her eyes were like pools of dark chocolate. She stared into Diavolo’s eyes like she could see his soul. And maybe she could. </p>
<p>Who knew with Infernal witches? These were the first.</p>
<p>The twins ran back to their dads and sister, and the new family embraced each other.</p>
<p>Diavolo stood back up, only to find Barb by his side, blushing.</p>
<p>Barb reached out subtly and grabbed his pinky finger with his own. </p>
<p>They stood, linked, side by side, smiling at the new family.</p>
<p>Together.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This was a little longer than I intended, but hey, Dia and Barb needed to link pinkies, ok?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Old Friends</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just had to do a quick edit. Because not me misnaming one of my own OC's. (My son's name is Eren. Jen's kid's name is Seren) Sorry for any confusion!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Luke flexed his wings, reveling in the stretch of muscles that were still new to him. He flapped them back, settling them neatly to his back, making room for the others joining him in the courtyard. He smiled tightly at them.</p><p>Seren tossed a saucy grin his way, before flapping their own wings, only they managed to cup them in such a way that the breeze burst right at Luke, forcing him to ruffle his feathers to stay upright. They laughed at his glare, and turned their attention to the belt at their waist. </p><p>Distracted from his irritation, Luke’s eyes widened in surprise. “Is that the Flaming Sword?” The last he had heard, Uriel was still a little upset that Seren had basically stolen it to destroy Gabriel a while back. </p><p>Uriel and Raphael walked up to the young archangels together, and Uriel grinned. “They’ve proven they can handle it.” He reached out to ruffle Seren’s hair, who just grinned. “And since I’m grounded to the Celestial Realm, they’re going to act as your escort when you’re off-plane.”</p><p>Luke felt a lump rise in his throat. “A-are we expecting problems?” he asked nervously. Raphael smiled at his apprentice kindly. </p><p>“No, nothing like that,” he said. “But with Uriel confined to the plane by the Father, he can’t supervise Seren’s training off-plane.” He sent out a soothing aura to settle Luke. “We’re going to the devildom to meet Michael. This is a very simple trip. I’d be more worried if it was the human realm.”</p><p>Luke nodded, and tried to settle the butterflies that had taken residence in his belly. Raphael gazed  in his eyes, assessing his readiness. Raphael nodded, then looked to Uriel. “Ready,” he told him.</p><p>Uriel nodded, and turned to Seren. “Ok, kid. Just like we practiced. I open the portal, and you exit first. Make sure it’s clear, then step aside for Luke and Raphael.” Seren’s expression changed from saucy teenager to deadly warrior. Luke found his heart beating a little hard at the sight of his bonded being so badass.</p><p>Raphael chuckled beside him, and Luke flushed. “You still have a few hundred years of training in front of you,” the older angel reminded him, and Luke flashed even redder. “It will fly by, I promise,” the archangel told him, kindly.</p><p>Uriel and Seren stood at the portal terminal, oblivious to the conversation behind them. Uriel waved his hand, and the portal started to glow. The second a picture shifted into focus, Seren stepped through, and Luke sharpened his focus to wait for their signal. He watched as Seren swept the area, then grin as they stepped aside.</p><p>Luke took a deep breath and stepped through the portal.</p><p>------------------------------------------</p><p>Barbatos stood to the side of the portal, controlling the opening from the Devildom side. He smiled at the sight of Seren hopping through the portal, their serious expression almost an exact copy of their mother’s. Seren caught his eye and grinned, then stepped aside. Two more angels walked through, and Uriel sent the signal that the portal was clear at his end. Barb cut the portal with his usual efficiency and turned to greet the angels.</p><p>He exchanged nods with Raphael, and turned to the other two. Smiling in welcome, he spoke to Seren. “Welcome, Seren. While we haven’t been formally introduced, I feel as if I’ve known you forever.”</p><p>Seren gave themselves a shake, and they flashed into their human form of a goth teen. “My mother always loved talking about me,” they sighed. “Speaking of which, thank you for being such good friends with her.” They smiled at him, and he smiled back.</p><p>He turned to the third angel. He gave a half bow, and introduced himself. “Hello, I am Barbatos. How should I address you?” He straightened at the sound of laughter. The giant blonde angel standing in front of him gave him a shy smile, and Barb did a double take. “My stars… Luke?!” He looked the giant seraphin up and down. “You made archangel? Congratulations! Well deserved, young man!”</p><p>Luke smiled more confidently, and a shiver washed over him, transforming him from a giant angel into a merely humongous human. “Thank you,” he replied, his newly deep voice amusing Barb. “I hoped it wouldn’t be too weird.” </p><p>Barb shook his head. “Not at all! I was just surprised.” He gestured to the cottage in front of them. “This way, please. King Diavolo is expecting you.” He led the way to the door, and ushered them inside. “Raphael and his escort have arrived, my lords,” he announced to the room.</p><p>Simeon immediately greeted the arriving angels and offered them refreshments, while Solomon ran his hand soothingly down a suddenly nervous Linds’s back. Barb stood back and watched with amusement as Diavolo tried to place the other two angels.</p><p>“Raphael, always nice to see you,” Diavolo welcomed with a handshake. He turned to the smaller of the two angels, and caught sight of Seren’s dimple in their cheek. “AH! You must be Seren. You have your mother’s smile!” he exclaimed, shaking Seren’s hand. He then turned to the giant, and Barb smirked at the lost expression the king sent him. Barb never reintroduced people Diavolo had previously met, knowing that the king liked to impress people with his memory for faces.</p><p>Diavolo’s expression changed to suspicion at Barb’s smirk, and he managed to catch Seren’s amusement out of the corner of his eye. “Now I <em>know</em> you’re Jen’s kid. I’ve been on the receiving end of that mocking smile way too often!” he laughed. Looking the giant in the eye, he said, “I know we have met before, and often enough that everyone thinks I should recognize you. The only angel that meets that criteria that isn’t in this room is Luke, so something tells me that I need to shake your hand and wish you a belated birthday, young Luke.” He reached out and shook his hand, and Luke’s face broke out into a giant grin. </p><p>“I’ve changed a bit,” the blonde angel admitted. “It’s good to see you again.”</p><p>“Let’s ignore the fact Michael <em>told</em> you that Raph was bringing Luke,” Reggath rolled his eyes. Everyone burst into laughter, and Diavolo had the grace to look sheepish.</p><p>“My lords,” Barb interrupted, “I must take my leave.” He turned to Seren. “I’m on my way to meet with Jen, would you like to accompany me?” </p><p>Seren smiled and shook their head. “No, I need to stay here. Thank you for the offer.” The butler smiled and left the cottage. </p><p>“Now,” Raphael clapped his hands together. “While I sense a soul that needs some help, I’d rather be introduced first.” He looked to Linds and smiled. </p><p>Linds shook her nerves off and stepped forward. “I’m Linds.”</p><p>Raphael nodded, solemnly. “Nice to meet you, Linds.” He looked at the adults in the room. “This is a little out of my realm. I can’t fix her power font.” The room took collective gasp, but Raphael smiled. “Not to worry. <em>Luke</em> can.”</p><p>Luke’s smile hid his nervousness, and Seren stood taller at his side. Simeon beamed a proud smile that threatened to light up the perpetually dark hellscape. </p><p>Linds looked up to Luke with complete trust in her eyes, and Luke melted. </p><p>“Ok, Linds. Let’s fix you up.”</p><p>------------------------------------</p><p>Jen shoo’d a complaining Belphie out of her suite with a kiss, and set up her dining nook for dinner. A knock sounded at the door precisely on the hour. </p><p>“Who is it?” she called.</p><p>“Barbatos,” came the amused reply.</p><p>She took a peek through the peephole to confirm, and swung the door open in welcome. Barb grinned at her, as he stepped in carrying two covered dishes.</p><p>“I see Beelzebub corrected your shockingly lax security habits,” he teased, laughing when she absently rubbed her backside.</p><p>“You could say that,” she grinned lasciviously. “It was a fun lesson.” They laughed and the two of them seamlessly worked together to set up their dinner. They sat down at their places, and fell into an easy conversation. </p><p>“So you’re not too pissed I offered the apartment to the kids?” Jen asked him at one point. He threw his head back and laughed.</p><p>“Are you seriously asking me if I mind getting all of your crap out of my storage room? That the king would mind two witches, two sorcerers, and <em>an angel</em> under his roof, his protection, and eventually at his beck and call?” His laughter turned into a chuckle. “Are you asking me to put you in the same building with your seven, so you could keep trying for that baby?”</p><p>She grinned. “You seem to be in an awful hurry for me to get knocked up.”</p><p>Barb frowned at her. “Don’t use that term. It’s undignified.” He took a sip of his tea. “If you’re asking, then yes, I’m rather anxious.” He looked down at his saucer as he set his tea cup down. </p><p>The ease from having a long and close friendship let Jen see what Barb was hiding. She reached out and laid a hand on his wrist. “What’s changed, Barb?” she asked softly.</p><p>He gave a rueful smile and gave his head a shake. He knew he wouldn’t be able to fool her. “A part of me will always, <em>always</em>, be in love with you,” he told her, looking her in the eyes. He held up a hand to stop her from interrupting. “I have always known that it wasn’t meant to be, how could I not? I could see your destiny from before the time you were even a twinkle in your great-grandmother's eye.” He covered her hand with his. “I am always grateful for the piece of your heart that you allow me to have.” He gave a shuddering sigh. </p><p>“I can’t see my destiny. I have never been able to. And now I can’t see Diavolo’s, either.” He gazed at her, love shining in his eyes. “I finally realized that I have a chance to experience everything I had ever dared dream for myself. Diavolo’s had most of my heart since we met, an untold millennia ago.” </p><p>Jen smiled at him, and he could see all of the happiness she held for him in that smile. She may be mated to the Avatar of Envy, but she never held that particular sin when it came to her friends and family. “Am I to understand that Dia finally told you how he felt?” she asked, mischief sneaking into her smile. His eyebrows shot up into his hairline. </p><p>“Wh-what?” he asked, faintly.</p><p>She grinned. “Oh, it wasn’t obvious. And no one had figured it out except Lucifer and I.” She stood and started cleaning up after their meal. Bemused, he started assisting her. </p><p>He bumped against her shoulder, companionably. “So, we’re ok?” he asked, his manner unsure.</p><p>A cursory knock sounded at the door, followed by it opening without either of them unlocking it. Lucifer strode into the room like he owned every bit of it. Jen frowned.</p><p>“Seriously, what was the point of bitching at me about security procedures if you're just going to ignore it?” Jen asked, exasperated, as Lucifer turned to close and lock the door behind him. “Let alone my privacy, you dick!”</p><p>Lucifer merely raised an eyebrow. “As I recall, you rather like my dick.” He walked to the couches by the fireplace, nodding to Ajax who thumped his tail in greeting. “And as to privacy, I apologize. I will respect that going forward.” Jen’s temper subsided as she accepted his apology, and Barb’s eyes widened at the Avatar of Pride’s admittance of fault.</p><p>Lucifer’s lip quirked at Barb’s reaction. “Only for her, I assure you.” He patted the seat next to him. “Come sit, both of you. I promise it’s related to the conversation I assume was taking place.”</p><p>Jen squeezed Barb’s elbow and whispered, “Yes, we’re ok.” She smiled, and walked over to the couch across from Lucifer. Before she could sit down, he grabbed wrist and pulled her to his lap while she burst into giggles.</p><p>“You maddening creature,” he mumbled into her hair, dropping a kiss on her hair before sliding her into the space next to him on the couch. They shared a look of such love that Barb felt his throat choke with longing. Barb settled across from them, and they both turned to him.</p><p>“Barbatos,” Lucifer began, “Diavolo has been my closest friend, outside of my brothers, since shortly after I got over our exile.” He threaded his fingers through Jen’s hand. “<em>You</em> are a close second.” He smiled kindly, and the force of the Morning Star’s smile almost blew Barb out of his seat. “There is absolutely no reason the two of you can’t be together as you both wish and deserve.” He leaned against Jen’s shoulder, and Barb had the impression that he wasn’t aware that he was doing it. “You deserve to have your happiness without waiting for a child that we won’t raise as a typical royal.”</p><p>Jen’s eyes widened, and Barb swore he watched as she fell even further in love with her Prideful mate. “I suppose you have a plan?” she asked.</p><p>Lucifer nodded. “I do.”</p>
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